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THE 


CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK 



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The Wreck op the “Ktttiewtnk.” — Pace 802 . 


THE 


CAPTAIN OF THE KIHIEWINK 



HERBERT D?WARD 

AUTHOR OF “the NEW SENIOR AT ANDOVER,” AND OTHER STORIES 



BOSTON 

ROBERTS BROTHERS 
1892 


/ (T/ irP 



Copyright, 189S, 

Roberts Brothers. 


Eni^ersitg ^rcss: 

John Wilson and Son, Cambridge, U.S.A. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter Page 

I. A Momentous Decision 9 

II. The Tirst Blunder 24 

III. The Yacht-race 46 

IV. The Finish 70 

V. A Woman Aboard 91 

VI. Flotsam and Jetsam Ill 

VII. A Day and a Night 126 

VIII. A Night and a Day 144 

IX. Mrs. Maynot’s First Sail ........ 162 

X. A Narrow Escape 182 

XI. Was it Stealing ? 203 

XII. The Law and the Lobster 220 

XIII. Adrift 236 

XIV. The Wonderful Happens 260 

XV. Phineas and the Captain 283 

XVI. Wreck and Rescue 303 


Messrs. Roberts Brothers' Publications. 


A LOST HERO. 


By Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward and Her- 
bert D. Ward. With 30 illustrations by Frank 
T. Merrill. Small quarto. Cloth. Price, $1.50. 



The lost hero was a poor old negro who saved the Columbia 
express from destruction at the time of the Charleston earthquake, 
and vanished from human ken after his brave deed was accom- 
plished, swallowed up, probably, in some yawning crevice of the 
envious earth. The story is written with that simplicity which is 
the perfection of art, and its subtle pathos is given full a^d elo- 
quent expression. But noble as the book is, viewed as a literary 
performance, it owes not a little of its peculiar attractiveness to 
the illustrations with which it is now adorned after drawings by 
Frank T. Merrill, — 7'he Beacon. 


ROBERT'S BROTHERS, Publishers, 

BOSTON, MASS. 




ILLUSTRATIONS. 


- Page 

“ There she are ! ” 30 

“ Hard-a-lee ! ” ROARED Phineas ...... 68 

SCROD SAVES the OwNER OF THE “ChOCTAW” > . 71 

“Hullo!” 255 

281 
302 


SCROD SHOWS HIS ORDERS . , . 

The Wreck of the “Kittiewink” 
Phin loses the Rope .... 


309 


I • 



THE 


CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


CHAPTER I.» 

A MOMENTOUS DECISION. 

But, Doctor ! ’’ 

But, Madam ! ” Dr. Plaster leaned for- 
ward persuasively, and regarded Mrs. May- 
not with the authority of an intimate family 
adviser, and of a medical friend. 

No, Doctor, I could n’t stand it. Such 
a separation would be too cruel, and I ’ve 
just nursed him through — ” 

Tut, tut, tut, wife ! ” interrupted Mr. 
Maynot, with a caressing motion. What ’s 
the use of calling in a doctor if we don’t 
follow his advice ? ” Then turning with an 
air of exaggerated deference to the doctor : 


10 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

So you recommend a trip to China and 
back? Professionally speaking, yoti think 
that such a sea-voyage will set the boy on 
his feet ? ” Mr. Maynot leaned back upon 
the sofa and stole his arm around the waist 
of his wife, who was now sobbing profusely 
into her handkerchief. 

I don’t mind anything else but the 
cruel, cruel sea ! ” Mrs. Maynot gulped 
down her tears as well as she could, and 
faced her imperturbable friend : If you 
only had one son you would n’t send him off 
thousands of miles on the — the loaters ! ” 
She brought out the last word in a tone 
implying that she had reached the climax 
of human horror. Her voice had the ca- 
dence of ^ litany, as if she said : From 
sea-serpents, sharks, collision, fire, and 
wreck. Good Lord, deliver Harry ! ” 

Dr. Plaster, who had seven motherless 
boys, all of them in strapping health, and 
two in college, fek for the first time that 


A MOMENTOUS DECISION. 


11 


the lady before him had some right to her 
excessive anxieties. Harry was her only 
child, and he had 'just recovered from his 
third attack of the measles. This classic 
disease had left him good for nothing. He 
could not study ; what was more, he did not 
play. Add to this the fact that he had shot 
up like a weed during the last year, and 
was five feet eleven and a half inches tall, 
and sixteen years old, — and one can easily 
picture a lad who looked more like a very 
large clothes-pin than a real boy. Perhaps 
we should say a broken clothes-pin, for he 
had the stoop of the shoulders that comes 
so naturally to boys who outgrow their age 
and are ashamed of their height. 

The Maynots lived in the thriving New 
England village of Sweet Fern, and were 
what is called well off,” but not rich 
people. This problem of a sick boy and a 
sea-voyage was a serious one to the family. 
Mrs. Maynot’s only experience of the At- 


12 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

lantic was a trip from New Bedford to 
Falmouth, when the steamer Ponopanset 
struck a fog, a tide-rip, and a rock at the 
same time. That memorable occasion had 
curdled a natural aversion into horror. 
Mrs. May not regarded the sea as the great- 
est enemy of mankind ; the Father of Evil 
was nowhere beside it. Mr. Maynot, though 
he had no particular trust in the salt water, 
had a great deal in his family doctor. But 
how deprive a mother of her only son 
against her will, and in face of an inborn, 
unmanageable, mortal terror like this ? 
With a rueful glance at the doctor, the 
perplexed father said gently, — 

All right, Molly. Don’t worry ! What 
shall we do about it then ? ” 

Now, be a sensible woman, Mrs. May- 
not,” broke in Dr. Plaster ; your son won’t 
be worth a pound of pickled herring unless 
he has ozone to breathe. Ozone does n’t 
grow in an asparagus bed, — it ’s to be found 


A MOMENTOUS DECISION. 


13 


on the salt water. The boy has got to go 
to sea, and not step his foot ashore for three 
months at least, if you want him to be 
worth his keep. You are not going to stand 
in the way of his health, all on account of 
a sentimental whim ? ” Then with an ad- 
mirable feint of anger the doctor breathed 
his final argument : I resign the case. 

Madam. Madam, I resign the case unless 
I am obeyed.” 

Mrs. Maynot sat gasping at this terrible 
threat. Without Dr. Plaster, how could life 
continue ? An uncertain rap at the library- 
door brought the little group of troubled 
people to sudden self-possession. 

^^As I was saying,” began the doctor, 
composedly, the cranberry crop will be the 
best — ” 

A tall, awkward boy walked slowly into 
the room, looking inquiringly from one to 
the other. In one hand he held a city 
morning paper, in the other he carried a 


14 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

diminutive terrier, who immediately barked 
at the doctor with the air of a dog who had 
been in search of an occupation for some 
time, and had now found one entirely to its 
mind. 

*• Harry, my son, can’t you speak to Dr. 
Plaster? What are you looking so glum 
about ? Has Trot eaten a pullet ; or 
have you lost the quarter I gave you this 
morning ? ” 

Well, my boy.” The doctor came for- 
ward and stood opposite his patient. He 
lifted one fat hand fo the boy’s shoulder, 
while Trot, the terrier, tugged vociferously 
at the flap of the medical trousers. What 
a tall fellow you are getting to be ! But 
you need color and flesh. Do you hear ? 
Flesh, sir, and color, sir ! I ’m going to 
send you to China ! ” 

Hal’s mother was looking hard at the 
pattern of the ingrain carpet. She was 
very pale, and did not see the glance of 


A MOMENTOUS DECISION. 


15 


bewilderment that her son gave her. The 
doctor had boldly broken ground. 

“ Yes, my son, the doctor is right. We 
must send you off somewhere : but it may 
be not quite so far as China. We have 
decided that your health requires sea air.'’ 
Mr. Maynot spoke firmly ; but he looked 
apprehensively at his silent wife. 

Why, Father ! You don’t mean me to 
be a sailor, do you ? ” One cannot say that 
there was much dismay expressed in the 
boy’s tone. Like a thousand youngsters, 
he was crazy over what he knew nothing 
about, and looked upon a life on the ocean 
wave as the ideal of manly adventure. 

Well, not exactly a real sailor,” an- 
swered Mr. Maynot, with a twinkle of his 
eye. I don’t think your mother would 
allow you to ship less than a captain ! ” 

A captain ! I a captain ! ” The boy 
flushed. He failed to catch the joke. 
«^Why, Go Gresham, you know, is captain 


16 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

of a forty-footer. His father owns it. He 
told me this morning that he knows every 
harbor on the American coast. He is going 
to race this summer. He says it ’s lots of 
fun/’ Hal hastened to explain, It is n’t 
like horses, you know. Boats are different 
from horses.” 

During this naive speech Harry showed 
more animation than he had for months. 
Mrs. Maynot looked at her son sadly enough. 
Where did her boy get this terrible passion 
for the sea ? But Dr. Plaster laughed at 
the boy’s last ingenuous plea, and said, 
cheerfully, — 

He ’ll do, Mrs. Maynot. Your boy ’ll 
do ! ” 

Why, what ’s the matter ? ” asked Hal, 
helplessly. If Mamma were willing, I should 
like to go to sea. I wish Father owned a 
boat. I ’d be captain pretty soon.” 

He patted the newspaper as he spoke, 
with a tender motion, and looked rever- 


A MOMENTOUS DECISION. 


17 


ently at the page of advertisements, from 
which after a moment’s hesitation he slowly 
read in a loud, high key, — 

For Sale, the stanch, safe cruiser ‘‘Kittiewink,” 
just thirty feet on the water-line. This yacht is 
not a fast and fancy plaything, not a mad beauty, 
but a safe boat. The anxious mother may sleep 
peacefully with her son on board. The ^‘Kittie- 
wink” is fully found. Her sails are not too large. 
This bargain does not ship water every time a 
zephyr ripples the sea. Come and see her witli 
your pocket-book in your hand. The wise man 
will buy at sight. She lays off the ferry landing 
in Marblehead. Owner always aboard. Address 
Ditto, P. 0. Box 2222. 

When Harry had read this breezy item 
he heaved a deep sigh like an expiring 
north-easter. He looked wistfully at his 
father and the doctor. He did not glance 
at his mother, but her trembling voice 
broke and filled the silence. 

^^Oh, no. Doctor ; anything but a crazy, 

capsizing boat that will go to the bottom as 

2 


18 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

soon as you look at it. You may leave the 
room, Harry, my son ; you have frightened 
your mother enough for one morning.” 

^‘Come, come,” pleaded the doctor, don’t 
be hasty, Mrs. May not. Madam, don’t be 
hysterical, whatever you are ! I ’ll abandon 
your case too if you act this way. How do 
you know but the boy has got hold of the 
very thing? I’ll go halves and send my Al- 
gernon along to keep Hal company. Listen 
to reason, now ! Is n’t the Massachusetts 
coast better than China ? Is n’t a safe harbor 
every night better than the roaring sea?” 

Yes,” admitted the boy’s mother, 
faintly ; but — ” 

Is n’t a cod better than a man-eating 
shark ? Is n’t a shore breeze better than 
a Simoon, or a Monsoon ? ” 

Or a Typhoon, or a Jib-boom ? ” put in 
Mr. Maynot, anxious to help the argument. 
His nautical ignorance was too profound for 
him to appreciate his own joke. 


A MOMENTOUS DECISION. 


19 


Would you rather/’ proceeded the doc- 
tor, inexorably, go months without hearing 
from your boy, or be able to get a telegram 
every night to sleep on ? Here is his health 
and your comfort assured, madam.” 

A few faint huts responded to this on- 
slaught, but Dr. Plaster saw that the day 
was won. Mr. May not, who had sat plunged 
in thought while the doctor and his pa- 
tient’s mother were having it out, grappled 
the opportunity by the horns, and said 
quietly, but very quickly, — 

Hal, send the man to me immediately.” 

“ The only thing needed is a safe and re- 
sponsible sailing-master,” mused the doctor. 

It is impossible to find the man I could 
trust my son to,” said Mrs. May not. 

I have sent for the man you want.” 
Mr. Maynot spoke courageously. 

In leisurely response to his master’s sum- 
mons, a middle-aged man walked into the 
room : he had a distinct, nautical shuffle. 


20^" THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

The red handkerchief tied in a sailor’s knot 
over his bare throat, his disregard of sus- 
penders, a habit of wiping his mouth with 
his shirt-sleeve as he talked, and above all, 
piercing eyes set deep beneath heavy brows, 
betrayed the fact that Phin, the gardener, 
was no less a distinguished personage than 
Captain Phineas Scrod, at one time skipper 
of a fleet Grand-banker, late master of a 
famous coaster, and ex-captain of the stanch 
brig Susan Jinks.” This sturdy old sea- 
dog, like many another of his kind, after 
following the sea for forty years, and know- 
ing every rock and anchorage on the eastern 
coast as well as you do your back garden, 
had settled down to hoeing and weeding as 
contentedly as a woodchuck in a lettuce bed. 
Harry stood behind his father’s gardener in 
a shivering ecstasy of anticipation. 

How long is it, Phin, since you gave up 
the sea ? ” Mr. Maynot opened the subject 
promptly. 


A MOMENTOUS DECISION. 


21 


five year, come next twenty-seventh 
of October, sir.” 

^^Do you think you have forgotten how 
to handle a boat?” 

With inexpressible sarcasm the reply came 
slowly : When you forgit ter spell Can, I ’ll 
forgit to box my compass. I ain’t given ter 
boastin’, but I can steer a ship from Salem 
to Fernandina with me peepers shet all the 
way.” 

Put the paper on the table and leave 
the room, Harry,” said Mr. Maynot, firmly. 

And you, my dear, had n’t you better look 
after the boy a few minutes ? — the doctor 
and I want to have a few words in private 
with Captain Scrod.” 

Where is Phineas ? ” asked Mrs. May- 
not, suspiciously, at supper-time. Her 
eyes were red, but her lips had taken on 
the sweet, feminine curve of resignation, 
which we see in tender but conscientious 


22 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

women, when duty and distress fight for 
the mastery. 

^^My dear/’ said her husband, gently, 
he has gone to Marblehead.” He did 
not raise his eyes from his plate. 

To answer the advertisement ? ” cried 
Harry. 

Yes.” 

To buy the ^ Kittiewink ’ ? ” 

“ To examine the ^ Kittiewink,’ with in- 
structions to buy if she is a suitable boat.” 

“ Oh, Father, Father ! How much ? ” 
told him he must keep within six 
hundred dollars. The doctor will halve 
the expense and send his Algernon, my 
dear,” added the uncomfortable father, 
deprecatingly. 

Henry!'' cried Mrs. Maynot, ^^as if I 
were thinking of the money.!" But then 
and there, to the unutterable surprise of 
her husband and her son, Mrs. Maynot 
wiped her eyes and said quietly: ^‘Well, 


A MOMENTOUS DECISION. 


23 


if it is settled, I must make the best of it. 
Now let us talk of something else — while 
we can.’’ 

Two days of great anxiety passed. Phin 
had disappeared without a word. Hal ner- 
vously weeded his father’s garden, assisted 
by Non Plaster, and Trot the terrier, who 
wishing to help his master, invariably pulled 
up the peas and left the weeds. On the 
morning of the next day a postal card, liber- 
ally blotched with ink and scrawled as if 
by the antennae of a squid, came with the 
mail. This was handed around the family 
with much interest and curiosity. It was 
unanimously deciphered as follows : — 

Baut the “ Kitiwink ” for 487.50 cents. Will 
sleep on bord to-nite, and begin fixin her up. i 
think she a bargane and a dandi. 

Captain Scrod. 


24 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


CHAPTER II. 

THE FIRST BLUNDER. 

You ’ll have to get out here. I can’t 
go no further.” 

The driver brought his carriage up with a 
jerk before a ditch. He was in a narrow 
street flanked by dingy houses on both sides. 
Within the hack five persons were closely 
huddled, and there peered out of the win- 
dows six faces, if we may count the intelli- 
gent countenance of a gray terrier. This 
passenger divided his time between barking 
ferociously at the driver and chewing the 
shawl-straps. The outside of the vehicle 
looked as if the party were bound for Tur- 
key, at least. Strapped to its back were a 
Saratoga (extra size) and a canvas steamer- 


THE FIRST BLUNDER. 


25 


trunk; while packages and bags enough for 
a year s tour loaded the driver s seat. 

Mrs. Maynot looked around in undis- 
guised disgust. Where was the dreaded 
Atlantic ? She shook her head at the driver, 
who was now opening the door. Have n’t 
you made a mistake ? Perhaps this is n’t 
Marblehead ! Where is the water ? ” 

The coachman grinned. They ’re layin’ 
it down in the streets, mum, and ye ’ll have 
to walk to the landin’. First turn to your 
left, down hill.” 

But Algernon Plaster and Harry Maynot, 
who had quickly jumped out, and whose eager 
eyes had been wandering over the narrow 
streets of old Marblehead, caught sight of 
an opening between two houses at their left. 

Hurrah ! There ’s the sea ! Look at 
the masts ! Where is the ‘ Kittiewink ’ ? ” 
Down they dashed. The two fathers 
followed the boys slowly. Mrs. Maynot 
brought up the rear in dignified agitation. 


26 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Trot, the terrier, followed leisurely, having 
been delayed by an unsuccessful attempt to 
swallow the valise. 

There seems to be nobody but the dog 
and me to look after this baggage,” sighed 
Mrs. Maynot. Those men have all gone 
mad.” 

Goin’ to take all this a yachtin’ ? ” 
asked the driver, irreverently, as he jerked 
the big trunk over the waterworks, around 
the corner, down the hill and the gang-way, 
and upon the bobbing float. 

Mrs. Maynot sank down on the heaving 
landing. She was flanked on all sides by 
her heaping baggage. Exhaustedly she 
looked for the fatal boat. Where was Phin 
Scrod, ex-gardener, now skipper ? Why was 
he not there to meet them ? And from the 
maze of crafts who could pick out the Kit- 
tie wink ” ? Mrs. Maynot promptly made 
up her secret mind that a rickety cat-boat 
in the foreground was the “ Kittiewink.” 


THE FIRST BLUNDER. 


27 


How could you ? ” she cried to her hus- 
band. How could you allow this madness ? 
It will kill me ! Oh, the horrible water ! It 
is going to my head already.” 

The gentle rolling of the float had al- 
ready laid violent hold of her personal com- 
fort. It ’s as bad as being becalmed in a 
northeaster,” she protested. 

Several mustaches on the float twitched 
at this nautical remark. The poor woman 
was too much in earnest to understand that 
she had been guilty of a North Atlantic 
bull. She immediately fled to the waiting- 
room above, which was at least perched on 
solid rock ; nor could she be induced to 
leave her security, until the time should 
come to bid her boy good-by, and go miser- 
ably home. 

The bustle increased about the little group 
of landsmen. They felt as strange and out 
of place as if they had been shipwrecked. 
The ferry-boat steamed up with its usual 


28 TH^ CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

importance, and puffed away. Men with 
gold lace about their sleeves and crossed 
anchors embroidered in their caps stared at 
the unnautical party and their baggage with 
concealed amusement. At last, Harry, un- 
able to stand the suspense any longer, ap- 
proached one of these grand men, who was 
just stepping into a handsome gig manned 
by four sailors. 

Excuse me, sir. Can you tell me which 
is the ^ Kittiewink ' V Harry waved his 
hand impressively toward several large 
yachts flying their pennants at anchor be- 
fore them. 

Is she a new Burgess ? ” inquired the 
gentleman, courteously. 

No, sir, I think not. She is — ah — a 
fore-and-aft sloop.” Harry struggled with 
the only maritime term he had learned from 
his nautical friend. Go Gresham of the forty- 
footer. 

The man laughed outright. He said he 


THE FIRST BLUNDER. 


29 


thought perhaps that yacht had not come 
into harbor yet, and with an imperative : 

Ready ! Give way there ! ” shot into the 
labyrinth of yachts, leaving Hal in mute 
astonishment. It did not take him long to 
find out that a Burgess boat was called 
after the name of its famous designer, and 
that fore-and-aft ” applied only to a two- 
masted schoonm:, and never to a single 
sticker.” 

But where was Phin Scrod, the skipper ? 

Hullo ! Good-mornin’ to yer all ! Ship 
ahoy! Is that yourn? All them trunks! 
Ha, ha ! That ’s a good un on you.” 

The voice was unmistakable, but how ac- 
count for this independence of tone ? Phin 
was a changed man. The trim, blue, brass- 
buttoned suit and the sea air had trans- 
formed him from a shuffling gardener to a 
master of his profession. He and the May- 
not family had changed places. Where he 
once obeyed, he now commanded. His 


30 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

employer regarded him with curiosity and 
deference. 

But where ’s the yacht ? ” cried the 
united family, in a humble yell. 

Avast there ! You aint got no yacht ! ” 
What refined scorn was expressed in that 
last word ! You own a ship. No teaspoon 
about her. There she are ! ” 

Phineas Scrod extended his hand loftily. 
To the amusement of the bystanders, and 
to the consternation of the boys, he pointed 
out a black sloop not a biscuit’s throw to 
the right of the landing. 

The Kittiewink,” some romance writers 
might have said, loomed impressively ” be- 
fore them. But she did n’t. There was no 
impressiveness about her and very little 
loom. In fact, she was particularly ugly, 
if viewed by the modern standard of nau- 
tical beauty. Her bow rose like a roos- 
ter’s beak, fully six feet above the water- 
line ; thence her lines fell abruptly down 



There she are ! ” — Page 30 









: t ' 



^'i i li' X'ir ’•■ ■ ' n 


^ # 



• • J 

. '^-V-- ■ >» ; ^-.•S;-' 




THE FIRST BLUNDER. 


31 


towards the stern, so as to give the unfortu- 
nate impression of a Chinese junk, as seen 
in the illustrations of a Physical Geography. 
This boat was nearly thirty-five feet long 
and was painted a rough black with a dingy 
white streak. The mast, instead of being 
scraped bright, was painted a dull color, 
whose original tint no expert could opine ; 
moreover, it was set in the deck very far 
forward. To complete the unyachtlike pict- 
ure, at the end of her stumpy, black bow- 
sprit was attached what fishermen delight 
to call a pulpit,’' — in other words, a stand 
arranged with an iron belt, to hold a man 
firmly while he stood to harpooh the fish. 
The Kittiewink ” was nothing less than an 
old sword-fisherman. Any sailor could see 
that at a glance. The contrast between 
this boat built for business and the smart 
pleasure-yachts was severe. The amateur 
yachtsman might fling a sneer at the 
homely Kittiewink.” He knew no better. 


32 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

But the old sea-dog, in spite of her extreme 
ugliness, recognized in her a depth and beam 
and seaworthiness that could outstand a 
dozen fancy playthings or racing-machines 
of her inches. Skipper Scrod could not 
have made a better choice for his purpose, 
had he searched the coast from Portland to 
Provincetown. 

But the boys gazed at the idol of their 
dreams in silence. They furtively com- 
pared her with the trim Burgess beauties 
flying about the harbor. Who could brag 
about that thing before them? Their pride 
was shattered as if by dynamite. They 
even felt ashamed to be on the float. Mrs. 
Maynot looked at the Kittiewink ” with 
resigned complacency. One boat was the 
same as another to her. But Hal actually 
dropped a tear, while Non swallowed a few 
more. 

Phineas Scrod, who had felt a little 
aesthetic anxiety about his purchase, ob- 


THE FIRST BLUNDER. 33 

served his young master narrowly, and 
now took him by the arm, — 

Look here ! Don't do that ! She 's a 
daisy. I tell you she can’t be beat. Here ’s 
something yoi’ can count on, and your folks 
will set easy. She haint so purty as some 
others, but to my eyes she ’s sightlier than 
the hull lot of ’em about here. She ’s built 
fur sea, an’ these yere yachts are stuck 
together fur mill-ponds an’ city dudes, an’ 
wreckin’ an’ drowndin’ passengers, an’ scarin’ 
their ma’s.” 

The two fathers nodded approvingly at 
Phin’s outburst of enthusiasm, and the 
boys tried to cheer up. The Kittiewink,^^ 
rude as she looked, was better than no boat 
at all ; besides, there was a difference be- 
tween five hundred dollars and four thou- 
sand, the cost of many a yacht of her 
size. 

But the skipper changed the conversation 
with the sprightliness of his race, — 

3 • 


34 THE CAPTAIK OP THE KITTIEWINK. 

can’t take all this stuff; you’d sink 
her. Yer boat’s got her ballast in. It’s cop- 
per dross, none better. You ’ll have to char- 
ter a steamer fur them whollopin’ chests.” 

It ’s got to go ! ” called Mrs. Maynot, 
who had followed the course of events 
closely from her eminence on shore. There 
are his summer and winter clothes, the 
sheets and pillowcases, the tablecloths, — Dr. 
Plaster has n’t sent any, he said, — the 
blankets, the soapstone, the arnica bottle, 
the hamamelis, and ten jars of strawberries 
and tomatoes — ” 

Yer can’t squeeze that trunk down the 
man-hole, mum!” interrupted Phin. ^^I 
guess we ’ll empty it on the float, and I ’ll 
take the necessaries aboard.” 

The skipper advanced upon the pile of 
baggage ; and as he came nearer and took 
in its whole extent, his eyes stared like a 
lobster’s. He offered no further comment, — 
the situation seemed to smite him as past 


THE FIRST BLUNDER. 


35 


remark, — but he threw a rope authorita- 
tively to Harry : Here, hold this painter 
while I chuck some bags in the dory.’' 

don’t see any painter,” said Harry, 
looking helplessly for somebody with a pot 
and a brush ready to be held. 

Don’t laugh at him,” said Scrod, politely, 
looking around the landing ; he haint bin 
salted, but he ’ll learn. Here, this is the 
painter,” shoving the rope into Hal’s hands; 
^Hhat holds the dory. You hold it; now 
don’t drop the painter overboard.” 

Now Mrs. Maynot would not give up the 
soapstone and the arnica. These must go. 
She compromised on the linen sheets and 
the hamamelis, and reluctantly took them 
home. The skipper, after a good deal of 
grumbling, added six life-preservers (which 
Mrs. Maynot had surreptitiously procured, 
and which were carefully packed between 
flannels, sheets, and tomatoes), on condition 
that they be kept in the locker with the 


36 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

cod-lines. ^^The soapstone/' he said, might 
come in handy as a sinker.'' 

What a delightful bustle there was put- 
ting the things in that old craft! It was 
decided that Hal should occupy the star- 
board bunk, which means that he was to 
sleep on the official, that is, the right, side 
of the boat, reserved for the owner or cap- 
tain. This pleased Hal immensely. He 
was very much excited. Before he knew 
it, the time had come to spread the swing- 
ing table with a clean towel for a cloth and 
red doylies (twenty-five cents a dozen) for 
napkins. The china was stone, and half 
an inch thick. 

Two bells ! will ye take a little chowder 
aboard, mum?" roared Skipper Phin to Mrs. 
Maynot, who was sadly watching them from 
the shore. 

The only answer he got was a faint groan 
and the barking of a very hungry terrier. 
But the boys' fathers accepted the novel 


THE FIRST BLUNDER. 


37 


proposition with eagerness. Phin had been 
a ship’s cook in his ’prentice days, and judge 
ye if that chowder was not good ! To be 
busy in the cabin of any boat for the 
first time carries some sort of an interest 
with it, and sustains the emotions ; but to 
sit down to eat — ah, there is the test ! 

Say, Non ! I feel a little dizzy. Is n’t 
it queer ? ” — this after about two mouth- 
fuls of soup and one of hard tack. 

^^So do I,” echoed Algernon Plaster, sadly. 

Phin winked at their fathers from the 
forecastle. 

I don’t know what is the matter,” con- 
tinued Hal, with an air as if he had been 
insulted. 

Neither do I,” seconded Non, with a 
curious growing dislike to food in general, 
and to chowder in particular. 

Let’s go on deck,” said Hal, apologet- 
ically. 

“ Let ’s ! ” with a sigh of faint hope. 


38 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

So these two future seamen tried to es- 
cape their inevitable fate. A sure way to 
ward off this ominous dizziness is to occupy 
oneself. This they did. Forward of the 
mast there could be no disturbing odor of 
the dinner, and here there happened to be a 
strange-looking can reclining on a coil of 
rope with the air of one who did not wish 
to be disturbed. That was enough to 
stump ” any boy to disturb it. The can 
had a handle and a large K ” painted on 
its top. It looked saucily at them. A rope 
was tied to the bottom. 

Let 's throw it overboard and see it 
float,” suggested Non, eager for the least 
diversion. It ’s tied to the boat. Here 
goes ! ’’ The white can fell with a splash 
in the water. 

Humph ! said Hal, I can throw it 
farther than that.’’ 

He uncoiled the rope on the can care- 
lessly ; it was caught about a bit, or stan- 


THE FIRST BLUNDER. 


39 


chion, at his feet. Then he gave the can a 
great throw, keeping the farther end of the 
rope in his hands. Pretty soon he tried to 
pull the can in. But the rope tugged in his 
hands furiously. Had a shark swallowed 
the can ? Perhaps he had hooked the sea 
serpent. 

Something is the matter ! It ’s pulling,” 
cried Hal, catch hold, quick ! ” 

The two boys clung to the rope vainly. 
The can bobbed in the water and seemed to 
laugh at them. The rope slipped like the 
folds of a snake through their unaccustomed 
hands. There was a mighty effort, a plant- 
ing of feet, and a final struggle. The two 
boys were dragged to the very edge of the 
boat. One more pull, and the rope with an 
exultant swish fell into the water. 

What had these bold sailors done ? They 
had simply cast off the Kittiewink’s ” 
moorings, — that was all. The boat was 
drifting with tide and wind. They did not 


40 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

notice her motion at first, nor could they 
comprehend why the rope had left them. 
They were^ dazed by their little exploit. 
Mrs. May not, in the boat-house, was reading 
a novel to divert her gloom. The skipper 
and the two fathers had finished the chow- 
der and were contentedly attacking a can of 
baked beans below. Now the boys began 
to see what they had done, they were too 
frightened to tell of it. 

Ship ahoy ! You 're adrift. Look out, 
there ! " 

This cry, ominous to the sailor, startled 
the skipper while in the act of administer- 
ing tomato catsup to a mixture of beans and 
ship's biscuit. Never dreaming that the 
danger was his own, he stuck his head up 
through the man-hole and looked about. 
The Kittiewink " was bearing down on 
a large yacht not a hundred feet away. 
Sailors were preparing to fend her ofi. 
There was a hubbub at once, — shouts and 


THE FIKST BLUNDER. 


41 


running. The two boys were as white as a 
main-sail. It looked as if the bow of the 
anchored yacht were going to cut them in 
two. Phin Scrod jumped as if for his life. 
It was too late to pay out the anchor. He 
sprang to the halyards and hoisted the jib. 

Get aft, boy ! Stand ready to fend her 
off ! Haul in on that jib-sheet ! Down with 
your wheel ! 

I don’t see any sheet. They ’re packed 
up ! ” urged Hal. 

In his confusion and readiness to atone 
for his indiscretion, Hal grabbed a life-pre- 
server, the only white thing he saw bearing 
on the sheet question. But Phin had al- 
ready made the jib fast. Dr. Plaster by a 
fortunate accident turned the wheel the 
right way. The wind blew briskly upon 
the head-sail, and turned the Kittiewink ” 
about. The stern of the boat passed under 
the frowning bowsprit of the large white 
yacht, grazed it, and escaped ; but the dory 


42 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

that was following astern caught in the 
schooner’s chains, and the painter that bound 
it to the Kittiewink ” snapped. In a trice, 
when the danger was over, Phineas Scrod 
lowered the jib and let down the anchor; 
and in less time than it takes to write it, 
the Kittiewink ” was safe. 

Then up spake the skipper to the boys : 

Look here, now ! you might ha’ wrecked 
her, you might ha stove her in. Two hun- 
dred dollars would n’t ha’ covered the dam- 
ages. Don’t you boys touch a rope without 
my orders until ye learn sumph’n, or I ’ll 
cast the hull job up. Yer daddies ha’ give 
yer me to keep, an’ I ’ll keep ye or I ’ll git.” 

This episode went a long way to establish 
Phin in the good graces of Mr. Ma3mot and 
the doctor, and they prepared to leave the 
skipper with his passengers quite happily. 
After one of the canvas-jacketed sailors of 
the threatened yacht had restored the 
Kittiewink’s ” dory, with sundry racy 


THE FIRST BLUNDER 


43 


words of advice, Phineas rowed the two 
gentlemen ashore. Trot ran out to meet 
them with, if I may so express it, the yelp 
of a martyr. Trot had no novels to pass 
the time ; and the time had been too long 
for any observing dog to pardon. 

Where are the boys ?” asked Mrs. May- 
not, anxiously looking up from her book. 

This boat-house is as hot as a kitchen on 
ironing-day. That dog has acted like san- 
cho. Before I take him to Marblehead again, 
I ’ll know it. Where is Hal ? Has anything 
happened ? Oh, is he drowned already ? ” 
She burst into the easy tears of a nervous, 
worn-out mother. 

There, there ! ” said Hal’s father, sooth- 
ingly. I told him to stay on the boat. 
It ’s time to go; I thought it would be better 
— Really, Molly, I thought it would be 
easier for you not to say good-by.” 

The novel dropped to the floor of the 
boat-house. ^^Trot hasn’t had a mouth- 


44 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

fill/’ said Mrs. Maynot, in a trembling 
voice. One would have thought she was 
crying for that. 

^^Nor you either, my dear. I will take 
you — ” 

Henry ! ” said the poor woman, re- 
proachfully, Henry, how can you ? Could 
I eat when my son — my only son — ” She 
choked, gave one glance at the Kittie- 
wink,” and turned her back upon Marble- 
head Harbor. The two men looked at each 
other. Neither her husband nor her doctor 
knew how to treat a mother with a yacht- 
ing son. 

Phineas Scrod was already rowing back 
rapidly. The Kittiewink ” swung to 
the wind at her anchor. The two boys 
waved their caps and yelled, to keep up the 
general courage. But Mrs. Maynot did not 
turn. She walked slowly and resolutely 
away, with her face to the land. She could 
not bear to look at the Kittiewink ” again. 


THE FIRST BLUNDER. 


45 


At this melancholy moment there was a 
piercing squeak, a splash, and a gurgle. 
Trot had jumped from the landing, and 
was swimming madly after the receding 
dory with half-choked yelps. Not finding 
the Marblehead boat-house a treasury of 
entertainment, he had evolved the idea of 
striking for his dinner with his master. 
The boys’ shouts intensified these convictions. 

Thus was another passenger added to the 
crew of the Kittiewink.” 


46 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


CHAPTER Til. 

THE YACHT-RACE. 

Phineas Scrod was a patient sailing- 
master. Every day for two weeks the “Kittie- 
wink” sailed out to put the boys in practice ; 
every night she returned to Marblehead 
Harbor ; every day the postal-card, All 
safe and awfully jolly,” went to Sweet Fern. 

This w’^as very uneventful yachting. The 
monotony of that fortnight was broken by 
only one exciting incident. Hal and Non 
furled up Trot in the main-sail one evening, 
and hunted for him until midnight. Trot, 
as if thinking that this was the way people 
go to bed on board a yacht, preserved a 
heroic silence while his master was search- 
ing the harbor and the town for the half- 
stifled dog. 


THE YACHT-RACE. 


47 


The boys had begun to tire of all this 
when matters took a sudden turn, and some- 
thing happened. In fact, a good deal more 
happened than they bargained for. 

Gopher Gresham, otherwise known as Go 
Gresham, whose father owned the fast 
forty-footer Chimpanzee,” was a member 
of the Neptune Yacht Club of Marblehead, 
and had come down for the season. Natu- 
rally he had hunted out our two young tars, 
and in a moment of extreme condescension 
had proposed their names for membership 
in his club. 

To the ecstasy of the boys, who by this 
time knew the difference between the main- 
sheet and a dish-towel, they were elected. 
Their fathers felt no such elation when 
there was duly forwarded to each a pink 
bill for fifteen dollars, including initiation 
fee and annual dues ; but, like the necessity 
for a new road, a new jib, a fresh coat of 
paint, spar varnish, new halyards, and the 


48 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

like, the pink bill was counted in as part of 
the unavoidable luxury of running a boat, 
and was paid with suppressed murmurs. 
Mr. Maynot and the doctor reflected that 
yachting is the most expensive kind of en- 
joyment in the world. 

Both gentlemen had found this out before 
the Kittiewink ” had been in commission 
two weeks. The first cost of equipment is 
slight compared with the subsequent ex- 
penditure. You go out fishing, and the 
galvanized anchor, caught in the rocks, 
will not come up, and must be cut away; 
the tender or dory crashes against the 
wharf or beach and is stove in; the top- 
mast is carried away ; the bob-stay snaps ; 
the side that is scraped must be retouched ; 
the bowsprit is smashed by some lumbering 
craft running in a fog. There are many 
mishaps like these, preying upon the pocket- 
book of the inexperienced yachtsman. 

Above all, the spirit of rivalry between 


THE YACHT-RACE. 


49 


yachts great and small, the struggle to keep 
up the latest fashion of neatness^ formality, 
and equipment, exact money all of the time. 
Our boys would have been caught in the 
current of fashion set by wealthy gentle- 
men, if Phineas Scrod had not proved in- 
exorable. The necessary expenses counted 
up quite enough. 

It was without Pilin’ s knowledge that 
Hal and Non joined the Neptune Yacht Club, 
and one fine morning hoisted at the mast- 
head, to the mortification of the skipper, 
the signal of the club, designed to repre- 
sent a red. trident vainly trying to fly from 
a blue to a white background. A quarter 
of this three-tined instrument had accom- 
plished the difficult feat. 

One Tuesday, Hal and Non were sitting 
in the cock-pit, while the skipper was bus}^ 
washing dishes with salt water, forward of 
the mast. Trot, the terrier, was trying to 
polish his young master s boots with his 

4 


50 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

pink tongue ; at least, he thought he was. 
The shoes plainly needed blacking. They 
were of canvas with rubber soles. Trot 
was not used to what yachtsmen call 
sneaks.’’ The boys spoke in whispers. 

How shall we tell him ? ” said Hal, 
pointing toward the skipper. 

He ’ll have to do it, if we tell him to,” 
replied Non, his breast swelling with a nau- 
tical importance never felt when Phin gave 
an order. 

I ’ve seen plenty of races. I could 
manage her. It ’s easy enough,” urged Hal. 
As he had witnessed only two races off the 
Neck, which the Kittiewink ” had fol- 
lowed at a respectful distance. Non regarded 
him doubtfully. 

There was a silence. The boys racked 
their brains. How should they tell the 
skipper that they had entered the Kittie- 
wink” in the yacht-race to be sailed the 
next day, and how persuade him to look 
favorably upon the plan? 


THE YACHT-RACE. 


51 


Phin was happy that morning, and sang 
as he worked : — 

“ Oh, Jack, me b’y, is a sailor free, 

An’ his ship plows through the white-capped sea. 

Oh, Molly, his wife, is a pink-cheeked lass. 

An’ she stays ter hum an’ makes apple-sass.” 

The boys pricked up their ears. It was 
the first time they had ever heard Phin sing. 

It was a favorable moment, and Non 
blurted out, point-blank, — 

Say, Phin, we Ve entered the ^ Kittie- 
wink ’ in the race to-morrow at three, and 
you 'll help us, won’t you ? ” 

Phin made no answer. In fact, he acted 
as if he did not hear. He hummed a while 
softly to himself. Neither of the boys 
dared to interrupt his meditations. 

The skipper’s voice broke out again, — 
boisterously this time : — 

“ One day, in a voice that his shipmates froze, 

‘ Heave her to,’ yells Jack, ‘ fur thar she blows 1 ’ 

But the whale that blew made an end of Jack, 

For with the fluke o’ its tail it fotched him a crack.” 


52 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

This verse was not so encouraging, but 
Hal persisted, — 

Say, Phin, didn’t you hear? We are 
going to race to-morrow at three.” 

The skipper smiled scornfully, and with- 
out deigning a reply, finished his ballad : 

“Oh, Jack, me b’y, was gobbled at sea 
By the fish he was going to stickeree. 

Oh, Molly, his wife, grew pale at the gills. 

And was carried away by fever an’ chills.” 

There was a moment of suspense appro- 
priate to the tragedy. Then the skipper 
opened his lips and gave utterance, — 

^^Do you fellers think that you can out- 
foot the ^Choctaw,’ or out-p’int the ^ Gad- 
fiy,’ or beat the ‘ Spook ’ ? Can a vessel 
built to fish in run with one of them racin’- 
machines, all wings and no hull ? ” 

But can’t we start with them and 
try ? ” asked Non, faintly. 

I ’ll send Trot after him,” suggested 
Hal, in a whisper. He ’s fond of Trot.” 


THE YACHT-EACE. 


53 


Hal pushed the terrier forward. Trot 
ran up to the sailing-master^ and kissed 
him persuasively on his left ear. 

Phineas patted the dog. His face re- 
laxed. 

I dunno but you can. There aint no 
law agin it, if your boat is really entered 
for the monkey-shines. But which of ye 
two is cap’n ? Don’t a member have to 
handle her in the Neptune races ? ” 

This was a poser. Thus, indeed, ran the 
rule of the Neptune Club : The wheel or 
tiller of each yacht shall be held only by 
members of the club throughout the race.” 
How could a boy who had only been at sea 
two weeks expect to handle a boat in a 
race ? Besides, who loas the captain of the 
Kittiewink ” ? Phin was the sailing- 
master, — the paid man. The boat was 
without a captain.” 

Let ’s draw straws, and let the longest 
be captain.” Non was always ready to 


54 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

solve every problem in life by the easiest 
chances. 

Draw oilskins ! ” snorted Phineas. The 
feller that kin pick out the top’n-lift is 
cap’n.” 

The boys looked at each other in con- 
sternation, and retreated from the subject. 
What new thing was this ? Where did it 
belong ? They glanced around and aloft 
in bewilderment. Non examined each hal- * 
yard and sheet, each spar and sail lazily ; 
but Hal went below. Phin chuckled. He 
believed that he had outwitted the boys. 
He felt sure that there would be no race 
for the Kittiewink.” 

After a few minutes Hal came up the 
companion-way, and with an unconcerned 
air approached the rope that holds the end 
of the long boom to the masthead and 
prevents the main-boom from dropping on 
deck. He said quietly, — 

I guess ITl be captain then ; here it is ! 


THE YACHT-KACE. 


55 


^‘Wal, I’ll be split and salted!” said 
Phineas. 

It was not until after the race that Cap- 
tain Harry could be induced to tell that 
he had poured studiously over the Yachts- 
man’s Guide” until he had found Phin’s 
test of seamanship, and had committed its 
position to memory. 

So it was decided that the Kittiewink ” 
should start in the Neptune race. She was 
to enter the lists against the flyers of the 
coast, with their pot-leaded bottoms, their 
smooth sides, their sharp prows, their spin- 
nakers and balloon-jibs and club-topsails, 
and many other sails not useful except for 
this kind of play. Marblehead laughed at 
the two mad boys and their uncouth boat. 

Next morning Phin Scrod appeared with 
two rough old sea-dogs, — friends of his, 
fishermen off a vessel just in. One of them 
was an old dory-mate of Phin’s in his fish- 
ing days. This man’s name was Black 


56 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Tarr. Phineas said he wan’t a goin’ to 
race without no talent aboard.” Phin, after 
all, now he was in for it,” had taken 
quite an interest in this maiden race of 
the Kittiewink.” 

The fishermen made themselves much at 
home on the little craft, and drank up the 
lemonade composedly. What ’s the odds ? ” 
said Hal. He was greatly excited, and 
would have offered them anything on the * 
boat without a murmur. 

But the Kittiewink ” was a temperance 
boat. Phin Scrod was Grand Chief Pop- 
of-the-Gun of the Supreme Order of Cold 
Water Citizens in Sweet Fern ; and the 
boys’ fathers had both decidedly said: ^^Not 
a drop!'” 

The first gun had been fired from the bluff 
on Marblehead Neck. In five minutes the 
first class were to cross the imaginary line. 
Half-Way Rock was the first turning-point. 


THE YACHT-RACE. 


57 


Captain Harry was at the helm. He had 
practised all the morning, and Phin, sitting 
next him, put his brawny hand from time 
to time over Hal’s thin fingers to steer a 
finer course. The only difficulty was that 
Trot insisted on steering too. When his 
little paw did not steal under his master’s 
palm, his cold nose did. Trot seemed deeply 
interested in the science of steering. 

Bless him!” said Phin, grinning, ^^you’ll 
hev to tie him below. But aint he a sailor 
though ? He haint been sea-sick yet, either. 
The last pup I took to sea jumped over and 
drownded himself, he was so sea-sick.” 

The yachts of the first class zigzagged 
here and there picturesquely. As far as 
sails went, all the contending boats were 
evenly matched. Some had started out with 
huge club-topsails, but a preliminary ^^spin” 
outside decided their masters that the sky- 
scrapers” should come down. The wind was 
pretty high. It had freshened since noon. 


58 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

The yachts now carried only what are called 
the working sails, — the main-sail and head- 
sails. The breeze was unsteady. 

^^It mought back an’ blow a snorter,” said 
Black Tarr. 

Clouds scudded in different directions over- 
head. The white yachts careened far over, 
as puffs of wind struck their sails. What a 
manoeuvring there was for a good position, 
in order to cross the line between the stake- 
boats promptly at the second fire ! What a 
calculation of seconds ! 

The Kittiewink ” was awkward but 
stanch, and it was decided she should be 
content to cross the line last. Phin had 
studied the circular, and knew every inch 
of the course. The Kittiewink ” had an- 
other advantage, besides being stiff and not 
oversparred; she was manned by three prac- 
tical sailors, ready for any emergency. Our 
two very young heroes did not count, — but 
no one told them so. 


THE YACHT-RACE. 


59 


A hundred glasses were levelled from the 
shore at the audacious fishing-boat that 
dared to compete with the Spook/* the 
‘^Choctaw/* the Gadfly/* and the ‘^Griffin/* 
the noted flyers of the coast. 

If it freshens up and holds, she may do 
them up yet,’* said one expert to another, 
pointing out the uncouth ^^Kittiewink’* from 
the balcony of the Neptune Club. 

Boom ! 

Whew ! We ’re ofl ! There *s the gun ! 
Oh, what shall I do ? ** Harry gasped, as he 
heard the report and saw the white Spook’* 
bear away first over the line. 

Now keep cool, sonny ! ** Phin spoke 
cheeringly . Follow them stiddy ! That ’s 
good. Keep her even. Stand ready to haul 
on those sheets there, when we pass the line. 
So; that *s good. Make fast! Don’t cramp 
her! Let her go easy. There we are. Now 
after them 1 She ’ll do 1 ” 

The Kittiewink ” crossed the line gal- 


60 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

lantly, the last of the fleet of five ; but the 
knowing ones noticed that she stood up to 
the wind, shipped no water over her lee rail, 
and scudded along as well as the rest. The 
wind was blowing fiercely from the west- 
ward, and was heading them off continually 
with increasing violence. The four white- 
winged yachts were ahead, tossing badly, 
and making straight for the first mark. 

The three sailors on the Kittiewink ” 
held a consultation. It was decided to haul 
in the sheets, and run to the westward as 
close into the teeth of the wind as possible, 
so that, as it shifted, they could make their 
course with it, and so possibly get to the 
first goal without tacking. Hal knew as 
little about steering by the wind as by the 
compass. What was to be done ? — for the 
owner must steer. 

Make for Baker’s Island,” said Phineas 
Scrod ; keep her steady, and you Tl 
manage.” 


THE YACHT-RACE. 


61 


. Now Harry had never known where 
Baker’s Island was until yesterday; but 
he nodded with supreme intelligence. The 
wind continued to increase. Harry fretted 
when he saw the other yachts nearing Half- 
Way Rock when he was veering away from 
it. Non sat behind the wheel at the stern, 
ready to lend a hand at the main-sheet. He 
looked a little frightened, but would not 
have owned to feeling so for the world. 
The two fishermen were lying flat to wind- 
ward, while Phin Scrod firmly grasped Hal’s 
hand and controlled the wheel, keeping 
within the letter of the law of the Neptune 
Yacht Club. 

At this moment a tremendous gust struck 
the Kittiewink.” The fishing-boat careened 
far over on her side, and might have shipped 
some water in her cockpit had not Phin 
given the wheel a quick turn that sent 
her into the wind. There was a smash of 
crockery below, and a squeaking, for which 


62 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

only Trot could have been responsible. A 
sheet of spray struck Hal in the face, and 
made him gasp for breath. He turned away, 
while Phin grasped the wheel with both 
hands. Non clung to the main-sheet, expect- 
ing to be washed by the board any minute. 

Look ! '' cried Hal, as soon as he could 
open his eyes. Look there ! 

The gust had passed on, and the leading 
white yacht, which had been staggering un- 
der the burden of the increasing wind on 
her enormous sails, was smitten suddenly. 
Over she went ! It was only the lead on 
her keel that saved her. The mast of the 
famous yacht snapped at the deck. The 
glory of the Spook ” withered like a ghost 
before a bright lantern. Her spotless can- 
vas, her rigging, and her bowsprit crashed 
together, and were carried into the sea. 
She came to pieces like an old chair under 
a fat man. In a moment it was done. 

She ’s dismantled, but she ’s safe ! cried 


THE YACHT-RACE. 


63 


Phin. Here, get into the cockpit, my lit- 
tle cap’n, — you too. Non. There ’s got to 
be a man at the wheel, now. I ’ll carry 
the ^ Kittiewink ’ through. This is the 
first an’ the last race, an’ we ’ll give it to 
her. The rest of ’em that are after the 
^ Spook ’ ’ll bear a hand. Ease the sheets a 
bit! She’ll be stiddier. That’s good!” 

Skipper Scrod, clad in his yellow oil- 
skins, sat at the wheel, looking grimly 
now at the coming storm, and now at the 
sails and rigging. Phineas had an expres- 
sion of quiet, cautious determination in strong 
contrast to the do-it-anyhow look of certain 
of the more enthusiastic members of the 
Neptune Yacht Club. The boys glanced at 
their sailing-master and felt safe ; and the 
race was not lost yet. 

It was as the knowing fishermen had 
predicted. knew it ’ud fotch ’round,” 
said Black Tarr, triumphantly. As the 
wind freshened, it headed them off. They 


64 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

were now steering a straight course for the 
first mark ; but the other three yachts had 
not calculated upon so sudden a turn, and 
were forced to make a tack to fetch the 
Rock on their starboard. 

How the Kittiewink ” flew ! Two 
boats were now nearing the Rock to- 
gether — the Choctaw’’ and the Kittie- 
wink.” The Choctaw ” led the other two 
flyers by some hundreds of yards. The 
injured Spook ” had dropped an anchor, 
and would allow no assistance. The dis- 
mantled plaything must wait for a tug. 

The Choctaw,” a stiff boat of the rac- 
ing kind, was a few hundred feet ahead of 
the Kittiewink ” to leeward, and bearing 
down upon the rocky island. Half her 
keel showed gray as she bent far over to 
the blast. Phineas eyed his antagonist 
darkly. This was his day for victory, or 
it would never come again. With the wind 
only in the luff of the sail, the sword-fisher- 


THE YACHT-RACE. 


65 


man plowed stolidly after the high-spirited 
racer. 

She ’s gaining ! yelled Hal, in a wild 
excitement of distress. 

Ow ! Yow ! Let me out ! ” barked 
Trot, from the cabin. 

Keep yer jaw shet ! growled Phin, as 
another blast flattened the “ Choctaw ’’ over 
until her boom swished in the waves. 

Down with the stays’l ! roared the 
skipper. Relieved by shortened canvas, the 
Kittiewink '' began to crawl upon her 
white rival. 

Yachtsmen often make the mistake of 
keeping too much sail spread too long. It 
was evident that the Choctaw was stag- 
gering under her load of sail, and thereby 
losing ground. She dared not stop to reef ; 
she could not, in that blow. She was 
cramped, and in fact almost dead. If she 
gave way, she must make another hitch ; ” 
while the Kittiewink,’’ with small main- 


66 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

sail, and her diminutive jumbo/' was 
riding the waves freely, and still forging 
ahead without shipping a drop over her 
lee. 

But now the two were abreast of the 
Rock. The Kittiewink " had closed upon 
her rival, and in order to do so had come 
up under her lee. The high waves dashed 
angrily up the gray cliff, and washed back 
again in white spray. The wind had grown 
to a gale. Nearest to the Rock rode the 
Kittiewink." The Choctaw " had an out- 
side position, a few feet ahead. The two 
boats rose and fell together with the same 
swell ; but the Choctaw " staggered and 
rose heavily. Her main-sail, almost a half 
too large, handicapped her. When she 
turned on the next “ leg " of the triangular 
course, she could easily beat her clumsy 
rival running before the wind. Ah, there 
was the chance for her full main-sail ! 

Eager to seize every opportunity and to 


THE YACHT-RACE. 


67 


blanket ” the Kittiewink/’ — that is to 
say, to cut ofE the wind from her sails, — 
the Choctaw steered near the Kock. 
She left too little space for the Kittie- 
wink'’ to pass without running ashore. 

“ Avast there ! ” bellowed Scrod. Keep 
away there, or I ’ll tack, an’ cut ye in 
two ! '' 

A boat under pressure of wind and sail 
cannot come to a sudden halt, and turn 
about like a horse and buggy. The situa- 
tion had suddenly become critical and then 
dangerous. The Kock was not fifty feet 
away, and abreast of the Kittiewink.” 
The Choctaw,’’ . the waves, and the gale 
were forcing her upon it. But Phineas 
Scrod had not lost himself. Even his quid 
had not changed cheek. The boys were 
scared dumb, but not Trot, — he, poor dog, 
was shut up in the cabin, and barked 
and wailed madly. 

The eyes of the two fishermen blazed, 


68 THE CAPTAIN^ OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

but they preserved the stolidity of their 
race, and trusted the man at the helm. 

Hard-a-lee ! '' roared Phineas. 

Phin turned his wheel in the nick of 
time. The Kittiewink spun about like 
a troubled top. By the usage of the sea, 
whose laws the Choctaw had violated by 
forcing their rival into this predicament, she 
had to tack also, or be run down. There 
was hardly room enough for the Kittie- 
wink’’ to pass astern. There was an in- 
stant of confusion on board the white cutter. 
But the boat, cramped under too much sail, 
and with little headway, refused to come 
about. 

^‘Out with that main-sheet ! Ease the jib! 
Way off ! ” shrieked Skipper Scrod, when he 
saw that the Choctaw” was unmanageable. 

The Kittiewink ” turned square about, 
and retraced her course, barely passing be- 
hind her tossing rival. 

She ’s in irons,” said Black Tarr. I 
would n’t like to be thar.” 


\ 



\ 


s# 


Hard-a-lee ! ” roared Pliiiieas. — Page 68 






1 


THE YACHT-RACE. 


69 


She ’s a goner on them rocks. She ’ll 
be match-wood in two jiffies/’ said the other 
fisherman. 

She won’t nuther ! ” shouted Phin, 
through the bellowing wind, we ’ll save 
her ! ” 

At this moment, there came a terrible cry 
from the Choctaw ” : Man overboard ! ” 

For the first time Phineas Scrod seemed 
to lose his self-possession. He started to say 
,” but he did n’t. He had n’t time. 

Demoralization had taken possession of 
the crew of the Choctaw.” A frantic ob- 
ject was seen struggling in the water. 
Could that be a man’s head, — a drowning 
man ? How small it looked ! Hal shivered 
with terror. For an instant he turned away 
his eyes. The white yacht, meanwhile, was 
drifting rapidly on the breakers. 


70 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


CHAPTER IV. 

THE FINISH. 

A YACHT-KACE is not in itself a particu- 
larly dangerous experience, nor is the mod- 
ern yacht necessarily a death-trap. But a 
full main-sail in a gale, especially when its 
size is out of all sensible proportion to the 
boat, is nothing short of madness. The 
“ Choctaw,” as many of her kind have done 
before, was merely reaping the result of 
foolhardiness. Her owner, in the excite- 
ment of the peril, had dashed forward from 
the tiller to shove the jib to windward in 
order to bring the boat about, when a lurch 
sent him overboard. At that moment the 
Kittiewink ” was passing by the stern of 
the mismanaged yacht. 





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SCROD SAVES THE OWNER OP THE “ ChoCTAW.” — PaGE 71 



THE FINISH. 71 

Heave her a line ! shouted Phin, above 
the wind. Take the road ! ” 

As he called, he picked up a life-pre- 
server at his feet, — one of those which Mrs. 
Maynot had smuggled into the baggage, and 
which had not been relegated to the locker. 
Long experience had taught Phineas the 
value of a convenient life-preserver. He 
stood up and hurled it toward the sinking 
man. The life-preserver whirled in the air, 
was carried toward its mark by a gust, and 
dropped within a few feet of its object. 
Then the Kittiewink ’’ came sharp up into 
the wind. At the same time Black Tarr, 
obedient to orders, had cast the line from 
the Kittiewink ” to the Choctaw.’' 

Make her fast for’ard, you lubbers ! ” 
shouted the rugged sailor. 

Phin, when he saw that the rope had 
fetched, put his helm hard up. A man on 
board the yacht bad enough presence of 
mind left to catch the stout cable, and to 


72 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

make it fast. The Kittiewink • now 
pulled stoutly on the dead weight. The 
breakers snapped after the Choctaw with 
snarls of disappointment; but she turned. 

Let go the road ! There she fills ! ” The 
flapping jib now bellied out. 

Ease your main-sheet ! ” Black Tarr 
hurled this order at the discomfited yacht as 
it caught its first wind, and bent danger- 
ously to it. She made slow headway. The 
foam washed back from the rocks upon her 
stern. Hurrah ! She was still safe, and 
good for a hundred more races. 

But where was the drowning man ? Evi- 
dently he had caught the cork preserver, 
and had slowly forced his way toward the 
Kittiewink,’^ which had again come up 
into the wind. Phineas Scrod had kept a 
weather-eye upon the floundering yachts- 
man. He had done all he could ; it was 
five lives to one. A dripping hand, purple 
with cold and fright, clutched the gunwale. 


THE FINISH. 


73 


The two boys, as pale almost as the face 
that peered gasping at them, lifted the 
struggling man aboard. This was quite a 
nautical feat for Harry and Algernon. 

The Choctaw meanwhile was already 
some distance away, and getting clear of 
the island. The Kittiewink,” having 
modestly saved a yacht and her owner, 
stood off again by the wind. Scrod, at the 
wheel, was grumbling to himself. The two 
sailors had relapsed into dogged repose. 

At that moment, when the new comer 
had but just reached the cock-pit of the 
Kittiewink,’' the Griffin ’’ loomed up 

before them, making bad weather ; but she 
was still in the race, and about to round 
Half-Way Rock. The crew of the Kittie- 
wink had forgotten all about the race. 

A yacht-race is seldom given up until it 
is lost at the last stake-boat. A dozen cir- 
cumstances may conspire to bring the lead- 
ing boat in last. It has even happened 


74 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

from time to time in the history of yachting 
that a boat has been capsized, has righted 
itself, been bailed out, and actually won the 
prize. 

At the moment when the Griffin came 
into sight, the racing passion revived, and 
the rescued owner of the Choctaw,’’ for- 
getful of everything else, sprang to the 
shrouds and signalled his cutter wildly. It 
did not seem to occur to him that he was 
just out of the teeth of death. 

Keep on ! ” he shrieked. Don’t let 
them get ahead ! ” 

The crew of the Choctaw ” could not 
hear him, but by the occult power of sym- 
pathy divined his meaning. They tacked, 
and started once more in the race, and to 
turn the Rock. 

Get down there ! ” shouted Phineas, 
pointing at the dripping yachtsman. Get 
down below there ! Stow away that tongue, 
and put on some dry togs ! ” 


THE FINISH. 


76 


The young man came aft with a smile of 
satisfaction on his dripping face. He was 
hardly a man ; he had not yet thought to 
thank his rescuers in his excitement. It 
was such a matter of course to save a man 
in danger at sea. 

‘^Say, Cap’nj” the streaming lunatic ap- 
proached Phineas Scrod, you can beat 
them both. You handle her wonderfully. 
Keep right on ! This is the grandest race 
of the year. Put her through ! Make her 
sizzle ! I ’ll take the helm, young fellow/’ 
turning to Hal, who was regarding this 
wonder with open-mouthed consternation. 

If I steer/’ he explained, she ’ll win fair. 
Your man can’t steer in a club-race, you 
know. You did n’t read the rules, I guess.” 
He started to take the wheel as if he owned 
it. 

All right,” asserted Hal, sheepishly. He 
was awed by this cool piece of impertinence. 

No, you won’t,” growled Scrod, his blood 


76 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

well up. Git right down there in the 
cud an’ shet up ! ” 

The owner of the Choctaw ” reluctantly 
obeyed orders. He was not on his own 
boat. 

Hard-a-lee ! ” The Kittiewink started 
again in the race, slightly astern of the 
Griffin,” but this time leading the Choc- 
taw.” If ther’ aint no tug about,” Phin 
muttered to himself, I Ve got to stand 
ready to pick ’em up as they drop over- 
board ! ” 

Non turned pale when they came about. 
Were these the far-famed pleasures of yacht- 
racing ? He would have given his summer’s 
vacation to steal unobserved to the harbor 
and give it all up. He felt dizzy and sick 
in the tempestuous sea. It was very rough; 
but he did the best he could, — he went be- 
low. Trot, being untied, took this oppor- 
tunity to sneak on deck. 

Hal, too, was dazed. As the nominal 


THE FINISH. 


77 


captain, he tried to keep up a jubilant 
appearance before the stranger ; but the 
spray struck him in the face and trickled 
down his neck, and took the romance out 
of this manly sport. He gulped down his 
fright, and patted the terrier, who was 
now shivering and squealing in his master’s 
arms. 

Phineas Scrod kept on — it was not wholly 
easy to say why ; but he had a great deal of 
confidence in the Kittiewink.” She was 
built to stand such blows, but the yachts 
were not. Theirs was dangerous work. 
Phineas felt as if it would be unseaman- 
like to desert them. 

The three boats were now in bitter com- 
petition. The Gadfly ” had withdrawn 
long ago, but rivalry ran high with those 
which remained. It was a shame that an 
old hulk should mock the crack vessels of 
their class ! 

The captain of the Choctaw” now came 


78 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

up from below, dressed in a dry suit of Hars. 
For this reason Trot did not snap at him. 
The gay fellow did not seem the worse for 
his ducking. His eyes flashed as he watched 
the contestants. The ^^Griffln'’ was forging 
ahead; his boat was far behind. Half-Way 
Rock had been left astern ; they were flying 
before the wind. A stake-boat ofl Tinker s 
Island was the next mark, — then for home ! 

The captain of the Choctaw sat down 
near the skipper, and eyed the ^‘Kittiewink” 
with envy. How easily she rode the waves ! 
How little she yawed from one side to the 
other ! How bravely she carried her sail ! 
On the other hand, at every roller the 
Griffin heeled to one side, and her boom, 
longer than herself, dragged with the sail 
in the vater. Then, with a tremendous 
jerk, she pulled it out, racking the whole 
boat. Her gafl beat at the spreaders; but 
it was a good piece of spruce, and it stood 
the terrible strain so far, well ; and what a 


THE FINISH. 


79 


strain it was ! A whole main-sail, when a 
double reef would have been almost too 
much ! 

There is hardly a more dangerous course 
than to run full sail on before the wind in a 
gale. The paid man on board the Griffin” 
would have given his month’s wages to be 
well out of it ; but the amateurs insisted. 
Sport is too often blind to perils and cour- 
age is sometimes nothing but ignorance. 
Besides, it was no slight honor to come in 
first a day like this. 

The wind blew in fiaws, each new one 
more vicious than the last. Suddenly Hal’s 
new yachting-cap blew far off to sea. It was 
one of the model adopted by the New York 
Yacht Club, and had crossed anchors em- 
broidered in gold braid, which indicated 
that its wearer possessed a yacht. It was 
one of Hal’s proudest possessions. Its price 
was four dollars, and, needless to say, it 
was not yet paid for. As it flew gracefully 


80 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

away, Trot, who had been trained to bring 
his master’s hat, eyed it sharply. He knew 
his duty. He gave a few preliminary yelps, 
and made a mad jump for the floating cap. 
In a twinkling he disappeared over the side 
of the boat. 

Hal shrieked. Non was down below, roll- 
ing in unutterable agony. 

He ’s a goner ! ” said Scrod, curtly. 

But turn around ! You must get him ! 
He ’s my dog ! I don’t care about the race ! 
I order you to. I ’m captain of the ^ Kittie- 
wink ’ ! ” Hal spoke passionately. Tears 
welled to his eyes. The poor dog could 
hardly be seen struggling in the waves. 

What the effect of this peremptory com- 
mand might have been is difficult to say. 
It was a terrible day, and the unusual kept 
happening. As Hal stood looking back, 
stamping his feet, and even attempting to 
force the wheel from Scrod, the two sailors 
suddenly jumped up like cats. One seized 


THE FINISH. 


81 


the life-preserver, while the other rushed 
forward to the same coil of rope that had 
saved the Choctaw.” 

What had happened to cause this commo- 
tion ? Nothing less than the last possibility : 
the Griffin ” had overturned right before 
them ! A fierce flaw had struck her sails 
full, and sent her over. The fancy centre- 
board yacht lay on her side in the water. 
Her huge, speckless sails were spread upon 
the waves, and the gale flapped them omin- 
ously up and down. The owner of the Grif- 
fin” had advanced notions in yachting; his 
yacht carried an iron centreboard, but no out- 
side ballast. The lead she had inside of her 
had shifted. She lay helplessly on her side. 
What made it more exasperating was the 
fact that evidently none of the rigging had 
parted, but the wind had simply forced her 
dowm From under ropes .and canvas the 
surprised crew crawled and clambered upon 
her upper rail. Her cabin was locked tight. 


82 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Had the doors been open, or the skylight 
unscrewed, she would have sunk like a shot. 
But with the air in her, and if the wind 
struck just right under that mass of sail, 
she might right herself. 

In a moment the ^^Kittiewink’’ was along- 
side. Hal was terribly excited ; but Non was 
still too sick below to care who went to the 
bottom. 

Now, heave her the line ! Down with 
the jumbo ! said Scrod, wearily, as if he 
had begun to be tired of picking up yachting 
boys. 

The men aboard the Griffin seized the 
rope as well as they could, in a dazed way. 
They seemed dumfounded by what had hap- 
pened. The Kittiewink ” drew alongside. 
There was a general scramble for safety. 
With a crestfallen air, the two yacht-owners 
regarded each other. 

Too bad, old fellow ! ” said the Choc- 
taw’’ to the Griffin,” as he helped him 
aboard the Kittiewink.” 


THE FINISH. 


83 


Go to thunder ! ” said the captain of the 
Griffin/’ gratefully. 

They all boarded their black rival, look- 
ing like wet seals, and were sulkily saved. 

Is it a criminal offence to overspar a 
pleasure-boat, and send sporting but igno- 
rant young men out racing in a gale, or 
not ? The accidents of the day were not 
uncommon in the annals of racing. For 
some yacht to be seriously disabled in a 
race, when the wind blows half a gale, is 
the expected thing. To fall overboard is 
not unusual. But to lose a few spars in a 
luffing match, or to be completely disabled, 
as the Spook ” was, excites but small com- 
ment, and little sympathy. The owner rue- 
fully pays the bills, and goes it ” again. 

In the excitement of the accident and 
the rescue nobody had thought of the 
Griffin ” herself. This boat, the pride of 
the Neptune Club, lay like a wounded 
albatross, while the sea gurgled and the 


84 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

wind groaned beneath her outspread wings. 
What a sad sight it was ! The hope of 
her designer and the envy of the club- 
boys in such a plight! The ^^Kittiewink 
seemed to sneer at the frail beauty. The 
Choctaw” was still laboring far behind. 
The Griffin’s ” six men crowded into the 
cock-pit of the Kit tie wink.” The owner 

of the Choctaw” had joined them. One 
of the Kittie wink’s ” fishermen made 

preparation to cast off from the flounder- 
ing racer. 

Are n’t you going to stand by, and help 
save the boat ? ” cried the owner of the 
Griffin.” 

I would n’t bother with that teacup 
for a thousand dollars,” retorted Phineas, 
contemptuously. You ’re plaguy lucky 
to be out of her so easy. Up with the 
jumbo ! Ease the sheet there, and let her 
go!” 

But poor Trot ! What had become of 


THE FINISH. 


85 


him ? In all this danger and delirium, 
who could save a puppy? 

In the confusion, Non made a desperate 
effort to come up on deck. As he came 
staggering up, pale in the face, purple of 
lips, shivering all over, he espied over the 
stern what looked like a window-washer, 
drifting towards him. Non was too feeble 
to speak ; he pointed toward the. object. 
Was it a strange fish ? Hal’s eyes followed 
the direction of his friend’s finger. The 
Kittiewink ” rose and fell heavily. 

Yap, yap ! Yow, yow ! ” came a feeble 

cry. 

It ’s Trot ! ” shrieked Hal. Dear 
Trot ! Phin, if you don’t save that dog 
this time, I ’ll jump over after him ! ” 

The order to shove her off ” was stayed. 
Black Tarr deftly took a long oar from the 
deck, and upon this the desperate dog clung 
with his fore-legs until he was drawn to 
the side of the boat. 


86 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

It ’s myraculous ! said Skipper Scrod, 
when the dog was drawn aboard. None 
lost this trip, so far. Heave her off ! ” 
Trot fell, a limp mass, into his master’s 
arms, and if dogs can be said to faint, 
then and there that dog swooned dead 
away from exhaustion. Trot, too, had 
enough of racing that day. 

But,” urged the owner of the Griffin,” 
after this episode, “ you don’t mean to 
abandon my boat ? She ’ll right pretty 
soon, and sail anywhere. Let me aboard ! ” 
He struggled to accomplish this object by 
main force. 

Avast there ! ” said Phineas, as firmly 
as though he trod a man-of-war. Sit 
down, or I ’ll put ye in irons. Heave 
that line off there, I say ! ” 

One of the men from the deserted Grif- 
fin” obeyed mechanically. The crew did 
not seem particularly sorry to leave her. 
Held in a vise by the two rough fishermen, 


THE FINISH. 


87 


the owner of the Griffin ” gesticulated 
wildly. Peril, disaster, and grief had un- 
manned him. But as the Kittiewink ’’ 
filled away, he stood with his arms folded 
across his breast in a tragic and Napoleon- 
esque attitude, and surveying the ruin, 
began to anathematize his boat, her desig- 
ner, her builder, the race, the day, his 
rescuers, the Kittiewink,” and particularly 
her sailing-master. Responsive to a wink 
from Scrod, the brawniest man, who hap- 
pened to be Black Tarr, stopped the young 
gentleman’s mouth with a hand whose palm 
was none of the softest and sweetest. 

^^I’m willin’ to save human lives,” said 
Phineas, charitably. I ’ll save tom-fool 
boys ; but to save tom-fool boats, that aint 
what I ’m here for.” 

When the Kittiewink ” was distant 
about a quarter of a mile from the scene, 
and while seven pairs of staring eyes were 
following the floundering motions of the 


88 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

abandoned yacht, the Griffin ’’ rose with 
a sudden lurch. A gust had struck under 
her outspread sails. She righted herself, 
and dashed tipsily here and there on her 
unpiloted course. Her owner uttered a 
deep groan. But it was noticed that the 
Choctaw ” made for the derelict, and 
thus gave up the race. 

We ’ll go the hull course an’ win,’’ 
said Phineas. No one reproved him for 
this pardonable exhibition of vanity. 

The day and the gale had done their 
worst. With another shift of the wind 
the rain settled in, and with her rivals 
so well represented on board, the ^^Kittie- 
wink” finished the course of the Neptune 
Club regatta on the 16th of June, in the 
worst weather found in the records of the 
Club. As she rounded the bluff and passed 
the stake-boats, a salute of the gun pro- 
nounced her the victor. There were a 
hundred hurrahs for her unparalleled ,per- 


THE FINISH. 


89 


formance. But many anxious faces looked 
seaward for the missing yachts. Skiffs 
and dories rowed out to the Kittiewink ” 
to learn the particulars of this memorable 
race, and carried its wet and sullen guests 
ashore for a good cheering and drying. 
They deserved a good spanking. 

The excitement in Marblehead ran high 
when it became known that the Choctaw ” 
had finally captured the wandering Grif- 
fin/’ and that the Spook ” was still wait- 
ing for a tug. Never had there been such 
a series of narrow escapes. It was a rare 
combination of chances that brought the 
successive catastrophes about, but some 
yachtsmen shook their heads, and admitted 
that the same thing might happen again. 
Where were the builder’s art and science, 
when a Cape fisherman could beat such 
crack yachts? 

In view of the Kittiewink’s ” gallant 
conduct, and of the tact and heroism of 


90 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

her sailing-master, the fact that Hal had 
not steered his own boat throughout the 
course was overlooked. Late that after- 
noon Hal and Non went over to town. 
They were too bruised and tired to go to 
the Neptune Club. They went straight 
to the office of the Western Union. In 
the elation of the brilliant achievement 
of the Kittiewink,” whose credit Hal, 
in this crisis, took upon himself as captain, 
he sent a telegraphic message collect ”) 
to Sweet Fern, announcing his safety and 
victory. 

This despatch troubled his family ex- 
ceedingly. Mr. Maynot, thinking that no 
time should be lost, sent the following 
explicit message in return, — which, however, 
was not delivered that night : — 

If you sail another race this summer, Phin 
will be dismissed, the boat sold, and you ap- 
prenticed to a carpenter in South Dedham. 

Henry Maynot. 


A WOMAN ABOARD. 


91 


CHAPTER V. 

A WOMAN ABOARD.* 

The morning after the yacht-race the 
two boys did not wake up until half-past 
seven o’clock. They had slept half an hour 
over their usual time. The curtain was 
still down that separated the cabin from the 
forecastle, where Phineas Scrod slept in his 
narrow bunk. Brimful of the excitement 
of yesterday’s triumph, the boys for once 
forgot their breakfast. They began to chat 
in whispers. Non and Hal had bunks op- 
posite each other. These were wide and 
cushioned. Trot slept at Hal’s feet under 
the blanket. The boys leaned on their el- 
bows and eyed each other like conquerors. 
The nautical clock struck the bells. 


92 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Seven bells. Sh-sh ! Phin ’s asleep/’ 
said Hal. 

Non leaned forward and peeked through 
the curtain, and nodded. 

The next race is Saturday/’ observed 
Hal, after an authoritative pause. I sup- 
pose they ’ll make us enter. The fellows at 
the club last night, you know, said that the 
^ Kittiewink ’ proved herself the best boat 
in her class.” 

Non assented with a grave inclination of 
the head, as if he bore the honor of the 
Neptune Yacht Club upon his shoulders. 

But what ’ll Phin say ? ” he ventured. 

^^Look here. Non,” answered Hal, uncon- 
sciously raising his tone, Phin might as 
well understand, now as ever, that he is our 
paid man, and that what I order him to do 
he ’s got to do.” 

There was a soft sound behind the cur- 
tain which might have been a suppressed 
chuckle ; the boys did not notice this, they 
^ were too absorbed. 


A WOMAN ABOARD. 


93 


What will Father say ? Do you think 
that your mother would like it ? asked 
Non, doubtfully. Besides, we ’d have to* 
have a racing crew. I don’t believe we 
could afford that yet.” 

This practical suggestion elicited another 
sound from behind the curtain, and at the 
same time caused Hal’s face to droop fully 
twenty degrees at the corners of the mouth. 

^^But,” he insisted, holding doggedly to 
his point, even if we don’t race next Sat- 
urday, Phin must not be — ” He halted, 
wondering what to add, while Non looked 
interested but still doubtful. At last, the 
captain of the ^^Kittiewink” found the word 
he was after. He had heard his father use 
it often, — insubordinate,” he said with 
gusto. No, I cannot allow that in my 
man.” 

Hal sat up in his bunk with an assump- 
tion of unflinching authority. His long 
lean body was ridiculously out of proportion 


94 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

to the sentiments he expressed. Perhaps he 
felt it. 

At that moment the curtain was wrenched 
aside, and Scrod, looking stolid and respon- 
sible, confronted his captain. 

Mornin’, sir.’' He stood in a red-flannel 
shirt of scant proportion, bowing low, and 
with mock deference touched an imaginary 
hat in true coachman’s style. Hal and Non 
at any other time would have burst into a 
roar at the grotesque sight ; but they had 
been caught in their presumptuous words, 
and trembled at the righteous indignation 
that they knew must follow. Please, sir,” 
said Phin, with another mock bow, lower 
than the first, may I get my close, sir ? ” 
Why, yes — that is — of course,” stum- 
bled Hal. He turned very red. 

Thank ye, sir,” replied the skipper, 
ducking his head like a china mandarin ; 

and might I put ’em on ? Thank ye kindly. 
Bean as it is, I can’t do nothin’ but what 


A WOMAN ABOARD. 


95 


I ’m told ter, may I be so bold as to ask 
can I put on my socks too ? An’ then 
maybe you’ll let me wash up and light 
the fire ? ” 

Phin’s mild little joke was the easiest 
and perhaps the wisest course he could have 
taken to shatter the overwhelming nautical 
pride of the young captain committed to his 
care. Hal was a manly fellow, after all, 
and took the hint. But whether he took it 
hard or not, no one could tell ; for Trot 
interrupted proceedings with a series of 
growls, followed by a bark which in the 
barker’s estimation might have protected a 
man-of-war. 

Hullo there ! ^ Kittiewink ’ ahoy ! Here ’s 
a message for you.” 

Hal bounded to the cock-pit, and with his 
gray blanket wrapped about him, looking 
like the son of a digger Indian, he held out 
his hand for the telegraphic envelope. 

Fifty cents first, young man,” said the 


96 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

messenger, concisely. I Ve been hunting 
creation for you.” 

^^Why, don’t you know the ^Kittiewink’?” 
exclaimed Hal, with great surprise. We 
won the race yesterday.” 

He straightened himself in the sunlight, 
that shone with inconsiderate brightness 
upon his extempore uniform, by which the 
messenger was evidently not impressed. 
Besides, the duties of his office apparently 
gave that representative of the Western 
Union no time to read the sporting columns 
of the daily press. 

Ye did, did ye ? ” irreverently observed 
the messenger boy ; then, casting a wise eye 
at the boat before him, he added, ^^It’s my 
opinion you ’ll never win another.” 

Then Hal in disdainful silence opened the 
yellow envelope, and read the telegram with 
whose unmistakable language our last chap- 
ter closed. Here was a blow. He felt like 
rebelling with a big R, But he remem- 


A WOMAN ABOARD. 


97 


bered the carpenter in South Dedham, and 
accepted his fate. Alas ! the prophecy of 
the telegraph messenger had come true too 
soon. Hal walked way forward and sat 
down alone with his sorrow and his tele- 
gram for a few minutes. Non yelled to 
know what was the matter, and Phineas 
said, — 

There ain’t no bad news, are there ? ” 
But the captain of the Kittiewink ” loft- 
ily replied : Can’t you let a feller alone ? ” 
At the breakfast table Hal handed the 
telegram to Phin without a word. The dis- 
appointed lad choked over his fried cunner, 
as he furtively watched Phin’s face. 

Wall,” said the skipper to himself, after 
the third reading, His pa hez got some 
sense. I hope his ma won’t be skeered, an’ 
come.” But aloud he said nothing. Phin 
was not the man to rub it in.” 

By eleven o’clock the Kittiewink ” was 
clean. No one would haVe suspected the 

7 


98 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

ex-sword-fisherman of dissipation to the 
extent of a yacht-race. On that bright 
morning, with her high bow, her stumpy 
bowsprit, and her blistered paint, she looked 
the most unsophisticated and the demurest 
vessel in that picturesque harbor. One 
should except the yacht-club signal, and the 
ensign at the peak. Beside the Kittie- 
wink ” lay anchored some of the most fa- 
mous flyers on the coast. These glistening 
yachts with their shining paint, their brass- 
work, and their busy crews seemed to scorn 
their black ungainly rival, just as the lithe, 
aristocratic greyhound scorns the abler pa- 
riah of the streets. 

Hoist the ^absent flag,’ Phin, please,” 
said Hal, pleadingly, ‘^as soon as we get 
into the dory. I always want the absent 
flag used after this.” 

Hal had made an important purchase only 
a few days before. It was a rectangular, 
plain, blue flag. He brought it aboard in 


A WOMAN ABOARD. 


99 


great triumph^ and explained its use to 
Phineas Scrod. Now^ Phin,” he said, un- 
rolling the package, the other yachts have 
one, and why should n't we ? " 

I did n't know this yere craft were a 
yacht," observed Phin, with a snort of 
contempt. 

Whenever I 'm gone ashore I want you 
to put this up where it belongs," proceeded 
Hal, vaguely. 

Whar 's that ? " growled Phin, with a 
slight twinkle in his left eye. 

^^Why, you know. It goes up with a 
string," explained the captain, looking help- 
lessly at the adjacent yachts, on the cross- 
piece of the mast." 

You mean the spreaders, I guesS. How 
many more monkey-shines hev ye got ? " 
replied Phin, good-naturedly. 

But this is very important. It tells 
whether the owner is aboard or not." 

Then you 'd better hang it out all the 


100 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

time. He hain’t been aboard but onct to 
my notice/’ observed Phin, cruelly. 

This, alas, was too true. The fathers, 
not the boys, owned the boat. Who could 
retort on the skipper? Hal hesitated. 

But to please us,” pleaded Non. It ’s 
such fun, you know.” 

The skipper laughed, and took the blue 
‘^absent flag” in his hand, eying it as if 
it were a counterfeit bank-note. Yet he 
was evidently relenting. He was proud of 
the boys, the boat, and her splendid victory. 
As all Marblehead used them, perhaps in his 
heart he was proud of an absent flag.” 
Yachting etiquette is the most insidious of 
diseases. 

Which one shall I h’ist her for ? ” de- 
manded Scrod, with a slightly familiar 
chuckle. 

The boys consulted apart, and as a result 
of their confei!*ence Phineas was told to hoist 
the flag only when both were gone; one 


A WOMAN ABOARD. 


101 


in fact was really as much owner as the 
other. 

Then the skipper put his final poser: 

‘^Now, if one of ye is ashore, an’ the 
other falls overboard, shall 1 h’ist the bunt’n 
or heave a line fust ? ” 

On this morning Phin cheerfully complied 
with the timid request of his captain. As 
he observed to his mate. Black Tarr, he 
did n’t want to be too hard on cunners 
like them two.” So the boys stepped into 
their dory, and watched the blue flag ascend 
promptly for the first time to the starboard 
spreader. With swelling hearts they rowed 
towards their club float. They felt that the 
marine glasses of the Neptune Club piazza 
were all directed towards them and the 
Kittiewink,” in recognition of the perform- 
ances of the day before. Never had they 
felt more independent and more manly. 
The dismantled Spook ” lay at her moor- 
ings near them. Non was about to make 


102 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

a profound remark about the futility of a 
racing-machine facing a gale of wind when 
the Kittiewink ” was around, when a series 
of steam-whistles made them start. 

Look out sharp there, or you ’ll be run 
down ! ” 

The ferry-boat, making for her regular 
landing at the Neptune float, was upon 
them. 

Before Non, who was rowing, could turn 
aside, a feminine shriek, more startling to 
Hal than the angry whistles of the ferry- 
steamer, tore the air : Oh, Hal ! It ’s my 
son ! Save him 1 ” 

In answer to this cry, the ferry-boat 
stopped. Its bow grazed the bewildered 
dory. A deck-hand grasped the little boat. 
Non, not thinking what he did, handed up 
the painter. Before the passengers could 
realize what had happened, the two boys 
were aboard, and one of them was clasped 
in his mother’s arms. 


A WOMAN ABOARD. 


103 


Oh/' cried Mrs. Maynot, that terrible 
race ! I have come down to spend a week.” 

The two boys looked at the lady, and 
then at each other. A significant silence 
followed. The ferry-boat struck the Nep- 
tune float, and while Algernon Plaster took 
care of the dory, Hal assisted his mother 
and a huge valise to the trembling wharf. 

Where will you stay. Mother?” asked 
Hal, a little unsteadily. He meant to be 
filial; he wanted to be courteous. But the 
boy was so much disturbed that for some 
moments he did not succeed in being either 
of these things. He could bear his mother’s 
reproaches for what she would call his awful 
recklessness;” but the feeling that she came 
to take care of him he thought he could not 
stand. He felt mortified before the yachts- 
men of his limited acquaintance. To have 
a woman descend upon him seemed humiliat- 
ing. His heart faltered. Other fellows were 
trusted by their women-folk, he thought; 


104 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

why not he? The struggle in the boy’s 
nature was severe. It seems a little matter 
perhaps to struggle about, but any boy will 
understand it. For a time Hal was greatly 
shaken. To be sulky, to be sullen, to be 
rude, to rebel, to say, Mother, why did 
you come? ” — this was the first hot impulse. 
Then Hal began to think better of it. He 
began to see that his mother had been 
•greatly alarmed, and was suffering. He 
began to understand what it is so hard 
for a boy to understand, — the meaning of 
anxiety and love when both come together 
in the heart of any one of those unreasona- 
ble older people whom a fellow calls his 
family. His mother’s condition appealed 
to the chivalrous in him : every boy has 
his full share of that. Hal did not say an 
unkind word. In that he certainly was 
heroic. 

Where will you stay, Mother ? ” he 
repeated helplessly. 


A WOMAN ABOARD. 


105 


There!’’ said she, leaning upon his 
arm and pointing at the large building 
above them, that certainly did look like 
a hotel. 

But, Mother, that is the Neptune Club. 
It’s my club. Only men go there.” He 
straightened himself up. Trot, who up to 
this time had made himself a general nui- 
sance by barking and prancing about his 
mistress, now got under Non’s heels and 
fairly tripped him up, — luckily into his own 
dory. 

Oh, dear 1 ” sighed Mrs. Maynot. The 
first thing that greets me is a shipwreck. 
I will go over there, then,” she added, 
when she found that Non was not drowned. 
As she spoke, she pointed with her sun- 
shade at another house. 

But that ’s the Eastern ! ” exclaimed 
Hal, beside himself. You can’t go there.” 

The poor woman, feeling herself an out- 
cast from yachting society, sank upon the 


106 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


bag. " Where can I go to get out of this 
sun ? ” she wailed. 

I don’t know, Mother,” said Hal, 
bravely. But if you stay here with 
Non, I ’ll hunt up a place. They say all 
the boarding-houses and hotels are full. 
I ’ll try, though.” 

Why not take her aboard until we 
find a place ? ” suggested Non, more 
hospitably. 

Trot, at this, jumped into his mistress’s 
arms and began to kiss her profusely, quite 
as if he understood the suggestion. Per- 
haps he did. At any rate, the dog’s cordial- 
ity extended itself to Hal, whose whole 
mood turned right-about-face and wel- 
comed his mother. 

In a few minutes the dory was alongside 
the Kittiewink.” Assisted by Phin Scrod, 
the two boys, and the terrier, Mrs. Maynot 
got aboard. To be sure she sat on the gun- 
wale, and well nigh upset the dory; and 


A WOMAN ABOARD. 


107 


Phineas laughed so that he almost let her 
drop back ; but no other incident diversified 
the voyage from the float to the Kittie- 
winkj” and Mrs. Maynot sank gratefully 
upon the deck of the vessel she had come 
to condemn. The harbor was like a big dish 
of skimmed milk. The broad deck of the 
boat looked clean and sweet ; it inspired 
trust and content. Besides, the boys were 
there within reach. 

Hal bustled and brought a glass of 
lemonade. Phin and Non hastily put up 
the awning. A steamer chair was placed 
in the cock-pit. With a gasp of relief 
Mrs. Maynot, heated with travel and anx- 
iety, was tucked into the chair. 

If you can stand what we have, 
Mother,” ventured Hal, timidly, till after 
dinner, then I ’ll hunt you up a place.” 

With more cheerfulness than Hal had 
seen in her for a long time, Mrs. Maynot 
smiled and said, You need n’t, my son.” 


108 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Why, Mother ? You ’re not going 
home to-night, are you ? ” 

The two boys and Phin crowded around 
Jier. She was the first lady whom the 
Kittiewink ” had entertained aboard, and, 
after all, it was a great occasion. The 
boys began to feel that it looked well, and 
conferred honor upon them and the boat. 
From a source of distress Mrs. Maynot was 
fast becoming an object of pride. 

^^No, Hal, I am not going home for a 
week. Your father has gone on a vacation 
with Dr. Plaster, to Saratoga, to a medical 
convention.” 

I — I do n’t understand,” stammered 

Hal. 

^‘lam very comfortable,” said Mrs. May- 
not, leaning luxuriously back upon the 
cushioned chair. I shall stay here ! ” 
The boys looked at each other as if a 
torpedo had been discharged at them. 
Phin took advantage of the solemn still- 


A WOMAN ABOARD. 


109 


ness to go forward of the mast and execute 
a low, prolonged whistle. 

But, Mother, you 'll be seasick in an 
hour. We have no room to sleep in. I never 
heard of ’em doing that ! ” gasped Hal. 

It is always proper for a mother to be 
near her son,” said Mrs. Maynot, with dig- 
nity. Besides, dear boys, I can be braver 
than you know. I promise not to interfere 
with your fun.” 

When Mrs. Maynot had eaten her dinner, 
which she praised profusely, Phin and the 
boys brightened up and joined heartily in 
the novel experience. They determined to 
make the best of it, and so they did. 

I ’m afraid they won’t come until to- 
morrow,” said Mrs. Maynot, late that 
afternoon. 

What won’t ? ” demanded the boys in 
chorus. 

^^The doughnuts and the apple-pies and 
the life-preservers. I sent for six.” 


110 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


Six life-preservers ! ” ejaculated Phin. 
Mrs. Majnot nodded pleasantly. 

“ Jemima watermelons ! where will ye 
put 'em ? We Ve already got five, mum, 
an’ a soapstone chucked in." 


FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. 


Ill 


CHAPTER VI. 

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. 

Mrs. Maynot had slept aboard two 
nights ; that is to say, she had twice spent 
nine hours in the cabin of the ^^Kittie- 
wink.” Non had turned into the skipper s 
bunk in the forecastle. Phineas had 
doubled up on the floor of the same 
apartment, while Hal, having suspended a 
blanket fore-and-aft in the cabin as a cur- 
tain, had slept in Non’s bunk opposite to 
his mother. Such makeshifts are common 
at sea. For a short time they are part and 
parcel of the summer s fun, and the source 
of its jolliest frolic. A woman’s presence 
is the transforming energy of mankind. 
Saturate a ball with lavender, whisk it be- 
fore a cage of tigers, and its penetrating 


112 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

scent subdues the fiercest of animals to 
ecstasy. So a woman suddenly thrust even 
upon a yacht will put a new and softer life 
into it. The indescribable odor of ship, which 
always meets one, even upon the grand- 
est vessel, was now subdued by a copious 
sprinkling of violet water, by a profusion 
of aromatic pinks. For the first time beds 
were made up as they should be ; and Phineas 
Scrod, who had up to this time stubbornly 
refused to obey his little captain in the mat- 
ter of uniform, and had put aside his blue 
suit and brass buttons for old clothes and 
shirt-sleeves, now appeared in his best, and 
looked as elegant as the captain on a forty- 
six-footer. The old Kittiewink,’' so used 
to fish-scales and the careless ways of fish- 
ermen, now seemed to blink at its gala 
dress ; and if we may presume to say it, 
rubbed its eyes in the wonder of having, 
for the first time, a lady aboard. 

But at dawn of the second day came a 


FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. 


113 


change. A fog-swell rolled into the un- 
wrinkled harbor of Marblehead. It crept 
into the little cove, under the lee of which 
the Kittiewink ’’ rested. It rocked the 
boat. The boom rattled, and the gaff 
creaked at the mast. Now Mrs. Maynot 
started from her troubled sleep in fright. 
She lay in the hard bunk listening. The 
sun cast a rosy light into the cabin, and 
filtered through the heavy blanket-curtain. 
Mrs. Maynot was accustomed to an immov- 
able bed. She had forgotten that the At- 
lantic ocean could offer anything but the 
sleekness of Marblehead harbor in a dead 
calm. The boat did not rock the day be- 
fore. Why should it ever? Again there 
came the sickening motion. This time she 
started up and called, — 

Hal ! Phineas ! Something is hap- 
pening ! ’’ 

The others jumped at the call. 

WhaPs up, mum ? ” demanded Phin. 


114 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

don’t know/’ ejaculated Mrs. May- 
not, as the Kittiewink ” took another for- 
ward plunge. I think it is a tidal wave.” 

The boys^ impressed by the word, rushed 
to the cock-pit. But Phineas did his best 
to control his voice as he quickly spoke, — 
see a tidal wave on the coast o’ 
Brazil off Valpraisy in fifty-five, an’ I know 
what they be. I guess this ain’t nothin’ 
but an ocean swell. You need n’t be afeard, 
mum, while I ’m aboard.” 

Trot was the only member of the crew 
who was not aroused by this incident. But 
when, by seven o’clock, the swell increased 
and became an actual chop, then Mrs. May- 
not, faint from dizziness and lack of food, 
began the following conversation. Trot, 
who by this time was acclimated to the 
boat, and did not mind the swell in the 
least, snuggled in her lap, and punctuated 
her feeble remarks with yelps at Hal, who 
was making faces at the terrier. 


FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. 


115 


Phineas ! ’’ called Mrs. Maynot. 

Phineas came to her chair in the cock-pit, 
and looked at her critically ; then said, I 
think you had better go ashore, mum.” 

Is it like this all of the time ? ” asked 
Mrs. Maynot, disregarding his suggestion. 

Hal looked at the skipper apprehensively. 
If he said yes,” his mother might be fright- 
ened, and forbid the cruise to the Isles of 
Shoals, which he was anticipating. If Phin- 
eas said ^^no,” she would persist in staying, to 
her own discomfort and the ruin of their fun. 

^^Ye see, mum,” explained the skipper, 
carefully, ^Hhere might be a slat calm in 
the harbor and quite a sea runnin’ outside, 
or thar might be a swell an’ no wind, or a 
wind an’ no swell.” 

“ Oh ! ” exclaimed the bewildered lady, 
the water is a dreadful thing ! ” 

Phin, who had been fearing an outburst, 
now spoke again, with an assuring glance 
at the trembling boys, — 


116 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

In Janooary, mum, it ain’t fit sailing fur 
boys, though I would n’t want a better hull 
under me than this yere ^ Kittiewink ; ’ but 
if Providence favors ye, the sea is n’t to be 
feared in July an’ August any more than 
yer bed o’ garden-sass, an’ ye need n’t have 
no more mistake about that.” 

The hardy sailor delivered this opinion in 
his grandest tone. Mrs. Maynot did not 
see Hal’s hand steal gratefully into Phin’s 
fist. Her sea-sick eyes were closed. 

Is n’t there any such sailing as in As- 
sawompset pond?” asked Mrs. Maynot, with 
an effort. Boats don’t tip there. I think 
I should enjoy it.” 

Why, Mother ! ” exclaimed Hal, the 
ocean is n’t the same as an old pond. 
Don’t you know that?” 

I know it, my son ; but it ought to 
be,” she said conclusively. 

I only reck’lect one place on the hull 
coast whar ye might stay aboard an’ be com- 


FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. 117 

fortable like/’ said Phin, after a moment’s 
thought. 

Where is that ? ” asked the two boys, 
incredulously, with an accent of disdain. 

Squam River ! ” answered the imper- 
turbable skipper. 

^^How do you get there ?’^ and Mrs. May- 
not, much to Hal’s dismay, sat up with 
brightening eyes. 

Ye sail to Gloucester, an’ go in by the 
Cut.” 

Do you mean Annisquam?” In spite 
of himself, Hal began to look less skepti- 
cal and more resigned. Well, Squam is n’t 
so bad. Don’t you know. Mother, Louise 
is there this summer, and a whole raft of 
girls.” 

^^Do you mean Louise Concord?” asked 
Non, becoming a little excited in his turn. 

Yep,” said Hal, superbly, with the con- 
sciousness of owning a pretty cousin of 
sixteen. 


118 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

‘^But I can’t do that, Phineas,” Mrs. 
Maynot relapsed with a sigh, thinking of 
the long trip by water, and disregarding 
the cousin. 

^^Ye can take the mornin’ train, mum,” 
explained Phin, amiably, an’ meet us at the 
Cut Bridge. We’ll keep yer baggage aboard. 
The wind is fair. We can make the run in 
about two hours. Maybe we ’d be thar fust 
an’ wait for ye.” 

The upshot of it all was that Mrs. May- 
not and the boys assented happily to Phin’s 
proposal, — Mrs. Maynot for the sake of 
smooth sailing, and the boys for the chance 
of doing nautical honors to a group of 
pretty girls. 

At twenty minutes past twelve, Mrs. May- 
not drove up in a hack to what is known 
in Gloucester as the ^^Cut Bridge.” The 
water that rushes to and fro, under this 
narrow drawbridge, as the tide makes or 


FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. 


119 


ebbs, converts Cape Ann into an island. 
This strait is called Squam River, and leav- 
ing Gloucester Harbor, it broadens before it 
reaches the railroad bridge ; it zigzags past 
cottages and camps in a tortuous, narrow 
channel, with a wide expanse of shallow 
estuaries, until it reaches Annisquam, and 
then sweeps past a treacherous bar into 
Ipswich Bay. Sometimes, at low tide, 
a dory cannot make the four-mile passage 
between the two deeps. At high tide a 
vessel drawing ten feet, if very skilfully 
piloted, can go through. The scenery in 
the river is beautiful, and much appre- 
ciated ; but the mud-flats and sand-bars 
are, alas! too numerous for comfortable 
navigation. 

Mrs. Maynot dismissed the hack, and 
looked seaward. Her eyes immediately fell. 
No familiar vessel was anchored near the 
beach. Nobody was there to meet her. 
Where was Scrod ? Where was the Kit- 


120 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

tiewink ” ? And where were her boys ? 
For a long time, protected by a sunshade, 
she sat upon a dusty granite block, swelter- 
ing in the unclouded mid-day sun of a mid- 
summer, windless day. She was hungry 
and she was thirsty; she was lonely and 
uneasy. The harbor and the open sea were 
as smooth as the pavement in front of her 
own house, and as safe. Great fishing 
schooners lay as motionless as vessels in an 
etching. A huge Italian salt-bark swept 
past the idle fishermen with an important 
air, for she was being towed in by a fussy 
little tug. The tide was high, and her berth 
^at the dock was prepared for her. Now 
and then a faint groan, coming from the 
ocean, startled the waiting woman. It was 
like the moaning of a condemned soul. It 
was the whistling buoy off Eastern Point, 
protesting with parched throat against this 
unnatural calm. Mrs. Maynot began to 
grow warmer and dustier. Her face burned 


FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. 


121 


red and redder. She took off her moist 
gloves and rolled them into a little ball 
and tucked them into her moist pocket. 
She strained her eyes to search the blister- 
ing sea till they smarted, and they smarted 
till the tears came. A steam-launch had 
come along, and after half a dozen in- 
effectual whistles had brought the man 
of the drawbridge to open it. Mrs. May- 
not, seeing the draw-tender preparing to 
let the launch through, approached him 
impetuously, — 

^^Are you sure this is the Cut?’* 

Yes’m.” 

^^And is that Squam Eiver?’' demanded 
Mrs. May not, pointing to the stream of 
water twenty feet or so wide that lost itself 
in meadows and curves. 

^^Yesm. Will you stay on the bridge, 
ma^am ? ’’ 

^^Is that craft,” persisted Mrs. Maynot, 
waving her parasol at the launch as it 


122 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

puffed through, going to a place called 
Annisquam V 

The man of experience replied that it 
belonged to a summer gent who was 
stopping there. 

‘^Then,’' said Mr^. Maynot with great 
decision, am too late. The ^Kittiewink’ 
has gone through. It’s too bad. They 
should have waited for me. It was not 
kind in Phin. How shall I catch up to 
them ? ’’ She scanned the river, but the 
boat was not in sight. 

Beg pardon, ma’am. What did you say 
had gone through?” 

The ^ Kittiewink.’ It is my son’s ship. 
We started from Marblehead at the same 
time, about nine o’clock. Phineas said he 
would get here before the train. He said 
there was a good breeze. They ought to be 
here now. Can’t you see them and point 
them out to me?” 

The bridge-tender looked as if he wanted 


FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. 123 

to laugh ; but seeing the evident distress 
of the lady as she looked yearningly upon 
the vast mirror before her, he said gently : 

sorry, ma’am, to tell you that chances 
are they haint left Baker’s. The air died 
out not two hours ago. They might be ten 
hour cornin’. I once knew a party that was 
three days goin’ from Marblehead to the 
inner harbor.” He meant to comfort, while 
he inflicted agony. 

Mrs. May not threw up her hands, and 
dropping upon the stone, burst out crying. 

guess you ain’t had no dinner,” said 
the draw-tender, sympathetically. 

Mrs. Maynot controlled her feelings im- 
mediately, and shook her head. Is it very 
dangerous ? ” she sobbed, fearing the worst. 

The draw-tender smiled. It ’s about as 
dangerous as it is for you to be sitting here. 
You’d better go to the Vermillion and wait. 
They can’t go through ontil to-morrow noon 
nohow.” 


124 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

The Vermillion, sir?” Mrs. Maynot 
spoke severely. She did not know what the 
man meant. It occurred to her that the 
Vermillion might be some kind of a saloon. 

^^The Vermillion is right there, ma’am. 
See that big hotel ? You can get a splendid 
dinner there, and get cool and quiet; and 
when the ^ Sissy mink’ comes. I’ll tell them.” 

The ^ Kittiewink,’ sir ! And, sir, you 
may tell my son that I am anxiously await- 
ing him at the Verbillion.” 

With these sad words, Mrs. Maynot 
gathered herself and her parasol and took 
out her gloves. Slowly and mournfully she 
departed in the burning sun for the Ver- 
million Hotel. When she had gone a little 
way, she felt a gentle touch upon her arm. 
She stopped abruptly. It was the draw- 
tender. 

Beg pardon again, lady, but I thought 
ye might like to know that the tide is fair 
as far as Norman’s Woe, an’ if a little air 


FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. 


125 


springs up after sundown, ye might see 'em 
by nine o’clock maybe. When the ^ Kittie- 
mink' comes, I’ll send him up, ma’am.” 

The good-natured man turned back 
quickly towards his draw, for the whistle 
of another boat was calling him shrilly and 
impatiently. 


126 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


CHAPTER VII. 

A DAY AND A NIGHT. 

It was the afternoon of the great Atlantic 
calm^ and the Kittiewink ” was nine hours 
out of Marblehead. Non and Hal were on 
the blistering deck, vainly seeking a cool 
shade. The boat, as if possessed by a teas- 
ing spirit, persisted in heading towards the 
sun, so that the main-sail cast only a knife- 
blade of a shadow. Trot panted piteously, 
and lay with his tongue hanging over the 
rail, wistfully eying the cool, motionless 
water. 

Oh, Phin ! gasped Hal. Phin, by the 
way, was down below, tidying up the fore- 
castle. When the breeze began to die away 
he became very grave. When it had died, 


^ A DAY AND A NIGHT. 127 

he became taciturn. Oh, Phin ! what will 
my mother say ? ” 

Phin answered nothing at all. 

This is a nice way of going to Glouces- 
ter in two hours ! ’’ said Non, pettishly. 

But Mother ! urged Hal ; she is ter- 
ribly nervous, you know. She ’ll think we 
have gone to the bottom. She may get lost, 
waiting in the Cut. We must do some- 
thing.” Hal thought of the Cut as a deep 
and dangerous gorge, something like Kafe’s 
Chasm. A calm seemed to him something 
to be manipulated. Phin put his head up 
the companion-way, and looked troubled 
enough. 

guess the Cut won’t hurt her,” he said 
gruffly an^ ye can’t do nothin’ ontil an 
air comes.” 

But you promised Mother to be there 
before she was ; you know you did, Phin ! ” 
proceeded Hal, angrily. gentleman al- 

ways keeps his promise ; and if you don’t 


128 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

get there right away, you know Mother will 
never trust you again.’' 

That ’s so,” • said Non, with an air of 
conviction. 

Phineas groaned. Yer ina can’t blame 
me fur the Lord a-sendin’ sich a tom-fool of 
a calm,” said Phin, with the dogged deter- 
mination of clearing himself. 

I don’t know,” said Hal, doubtfully. 

You ’ll have to explain that to her ; I 
darsn’t.” 

Phin groaned more heavily than before. 
None knew better than he the difficulty of 
explaining their predicament, or any other 
nautical facts, to Mrs. Maynot. 

I ’m afraid that she will never let us go 
to sea again,” moaned Non, doing his best 
to pile the agony upon Phin. 

I think she might charter a steam-tug, 
and send out for us. Don’t you see one, 
Phin ? ” grumbled Hal. 

Whar ’s the money a-comin’ from ? ” 


.A DAY AND A NIGHT. 


129 


suggested Phin, sarcastically, glad to turn 
the tables. 

How long is this going to last, Phin ? ” 
demanded Hal, imperatively, after having 
made up his mind that no tug was in sight. 

I ^m the captain, Phin, and you Ve got to 
tell me.” 

When you kin tell me how many buck- 
ets of water there is in the Atlantic ocean, 
I ’ll tell ye when one of these spells dies 
away.” 

But any way you can tell us how far 
we are from the Cut,” said Non, who was 
not yet utterly subdued. 

’Bout five miles.” 

When can we get there ? Please, Phin, 
be good and tell us. You see you promised 
to be there, and my mother is very anxious,” 
urged Hal. 

In answer Phineas shook his head. The 
persistence of the boys in expecting him to 
predict the end of a calm was more depress- 

9 


130 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

ing to him than the calm itself. Besides^ 
he did not wish to tell the boys that such a 
calm as this was, and promised to be, might 
last all night. 

Then,” said Hal, with his usual impetu- 
ous temper, if you don’t answer I will row 
there. 1 can find it, I know.” He made 
a motion as if to pull the dory alongside. 
It had drifted across the bow of the 
Kittiewink.” 

^‘No, my little captain,” said Phin, gently, 
we ’ll tow her in.” 

This brilliant idea had been agitating the 
skipper’s mind for some hours. He had put 
it ofi as long as he could. Considering that 
there was nothing that Phineas hated worse 
than towing, this arduous resolution of sav- 
ing his nautical credit must be considered 
as sublime. This was the boys’ first expe- 
rience of a real calm at sea, which is a far 
more hopeless state of the weather than a 
storm. They could not understand how the 


A DAY AND A NIGHT. 


131 


most weather-wise sailor may be at a loss to 
predict calm or squall two hours ahead of 
time along the North Shore. The day was 
when it could be done ; but now times are 
changed, and the oldest sailor is often at 
fault in his predictions. The two young 
sailors had to take turns in spelling 
Phineas at the oars of the little dory which 
drew the big Kittiewink ” reluctantly over 
the scorching water ; and blistered hands 
and stiffened back soon taught them what a 
calm may mean. 

Just after the sun set, at eight o’clock, a 
sight common enough in Gloucester harbor 
of a summer evening met the strained eyes 
of a lady patrolling the beach between the 
Vermillion Hotel and the Cut Bridge. The 
tide was low, and the beach was broad and 
well filled with promenaders. A. sloop 
towed in by one man in a dory stole softly 
to within a hundred feet of Mrs. Maynot, 
and eagerly dropped anch6r. As Mrs. 


132 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Maynot was not accustomed to seeing ves- 
sels journeying at sea with sails furled and 
a dory pulling like a cart-horse, she over- 
looked the sight of the Kittiewink ” in 
this predicament. In fact, she did not rec- 
ognize the boat at all. 

Leaving Non aboard to protect the sloop, 
Phin and Hal rowed with raw palms across 
the last stretch to the beach. Trot was 
there, too, perched in the bow, panting and 
disgusted. The three jumped out on the 
pebbles and looked around questioningly. 

Mrs. Maynot had sat down in the shadow 
of a great rock, and was staring at the 
water. She wondered why that boat had 
stopped just there to obstruct her view. 
She had come after dinner, had returned 
after supper, and was considering the prob- 
lem of camping out until the boat turned 
up. Mrs. Maynot, who was an intelligent 
woman in other matters, had no comprehen- 
sion of the fact that a calm at sea precluded 


A DAY AND A NIGHT. 


133 


the possibility of celerity on the part of a 
sail-boat. She had just come to the conclu- 
sion that it was a peculiarly interesting and 
safe state of things if only her boys were 
securely in. If she had to sail she would 
have preferred doing it without wind. She 
considered unruffled seas to be as they were 
intended to be at the creation. To her a 
boat that rocked and tipped was an abomin- 
ation. Then she argued, steamers were not 
retarded by a calm ; why should the Kittie- 
wink be ? After so many long hours of 
waiting she therefore began to have serious 
thoughts of mishap, when a voice reached 
her ears. 

Excuse me, madam,” said Hal, lifting 
his hat politely, can you tell me — ” 

There was a shriek of joy, followed by 
another. Mother and son embraced each 
other, amid barkings and squeaks that 
quickly brought together a good-sized 
crowd. 


134 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

How did you get here ? demanded 
Mrs. Maynot, when Phin appeared. I 
have looked for you since half-past twelve. 
You promised to be here then. It seems to 
me you are very late. Have you any 
excuse ? 

We towed in, mum/' said Phin, bowing. 

We did our best." 

What does he mean, my* son ? " asked 
Mrs. Maynot, putting her hand upon Hal’s 
arm. 

Why we rowed nearly all of the way, 
Mother. We couldn’t sail, — there was n’t 
a breath. Didn’t you see Phin pulling the 
‘ Kittiewink ’ in with the dory ahead ? 
That’s towing.’’ 

If I had known,’’ said Mrs. Maynot, 
calmly, that you were going to row all the 
way from Marblehead, I might have gone 
with you. You should have told me, 
Phineas.’’ 

After Phineas had explained to Mrs. 


A DAY AND A NIGHT. 


135 


Maynot in an apologetic way as well as 
he could the nature of a calm and its result 
upon sailing, she surprised the party by 
saying that if sailing were always like 
this, she thought she should like it. 

But it is n't, Mother. I think I feel a 
little breeze now,” said Hal. He wet his 
forefinger and turned it to all parts of the 
compass. He had seen Black Tarr do that 
once. think it comes from the nor'- 

west,” he said authoritatively, pointing to 
the mouth of the harbor. 

^^Sou^-west ye mean, my little captain,’’ 
said Phineas, with a grin. ^^Haint' ye 
lamed the pints of the compass yet ? ” 

If there is a tornado coming,” said Mrs. 
Maynot, fearfully, let us start right away 
for Squam River.” 

Some of the by-standers laughed, where- 
upon Trot barked at them fiercely. 

But the tide don’t serve, mum, till 
twelve to-night,” said Phineas, hastily. 


136 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

It 's mighty ticklish workin’ her up to 
Squam in the dark.” 

The view that there was anything dan- 
gerous or exciting in the midnight sail 
aroused Hal, who began to stir about rest- 
lessly ; but Trot, who was accustomed to 
go to bed directly after tea, curled himself 
up with a sigh of content in Mrs. Maynot’s 
lap, and ran out his little pink tongue with 
a look of supreme happiness. 

Hullo ! ” cried Non, to nowhere in par- 
ticular from the boat. Non was now thor- 
oughly tired out at beiigg left alone, and a 
little frightened at the long absence of the 
party. 

All right ! ” yelled Hal in return. 

I Ve found her ; we ’re coming ! Let ’s 
go. through the Cut, Mother. You’ll be 
aboard, and it will save hotel bills,” con- 
tinued Hal, in a low voice. 

It is n’t that,” explained Mrs. Maynot to 
Phin. But if the wind blows again, we shall 


A DAY AND A NIGHT. 


137 


be safer in the river, I know ; for I was 
brought up on a river. I understand that.” 

I ’ve been a pile of times on Squam 
River. I kin pilot ye through if I hev to. 
I was raised there as a boy. But I don’t 
think ye ought to go through the Cut in the 
dark.” So said Phin, decidedly. 

Phineas,^’ said Mrs. Maynot, impres- 
sively, you must allow me to decide that. 
If you are a good pilot, that is enough. I 
must consider the safety of my boys first. 
It is my duty, when it blows, to get them 
away from the ocean as quickly as I can. It 
is nearly ten. We will go aboard and wait.” 

I ’d rather be twenty mile off the coast 
in a gale o’ wind than go through thar in 
the dark,” said Phin, stubbornly. 

Oh, Phineas ! ” exclaimed Mrs. Maynot, 
how can you talk so ? How can you 
rather be at sea in a dangerous wind than 
be in a peaceful river ? I am afraid you are 
not a fit person for my boys. It is settled ; 


138 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

you will do as I say ; we will start to-night. 
Safety is the first consideration.” 

Phin started to answer, but stopped. 
After all, what could he say to change the 
anxious mind of his mistress, whom he 
really loved ? Hal, delighted at the pros- 
pect of a midnight adventure, helped his 
mother from the beach into the dory, and 
offered to row the boat. But by half-past 
eleven the sky became overclouded, and the 
light wind increased. Phineas shook his 
head, and growled as they hoisted the main- 
sail. The Kittiewink ” began to toss in 
the short chop of the sea. 

You must hurry,” urged Mrs. May not. 
What might happen if we stayed here ! ” 
Toot ! toot ! toot ! blew the fog-horn from 
the deck of the Kittiewink,” as a signal 
for the bridge to be opened. Then they 
waited in the answering stillness for the 
Hullo ! ” of recognition and the rattle of 
the swinging bridge. For what seemed a 


A DAY AND A NIGHT. 


139 


long time the horn blew in vain. Phineas 
hoped it would cqntinue to do so. 

If he waits much longer, the tide will 
drop, and we ’ll hev to lay here,” said Phin, 
after another ineffectual blast. 

^^Hal and I will go and wake him up. 
We must not fail to go through,” said Mrs. 
May not. In this emergency she developed 
unexpected resources that astonished the 
crew. I know where he lives,” continued 
Mrs. Maynot, explaining herself. ‘^I talked 
with him, and he was very kind. Besides, I 
think I would rather not go through that 
bridge in the ship. I had rather get in on 
the river side. I should feel better.” 

Then you go. Non, and bring the dory 
back,” ordered Phin, strangely enough fall- 
ing into the plan without a murmur. Phin 
was easily managed by a vroman, especially 
by a lady, and hated to disappoint his em- 
ployer’s \yife. 

Mrs. Maynot and Hal scrambled ashore in 


140 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

the dark, and over the wall and across the 
road, and vociferously, besieged the house in 
which Mrs. Maynot affirmed that the draw- 
tender lived. Mrs. Maynot called politely, 
but Hal howled at the top of his lungs. 

What do you want ? shouted a gruff 
voice. 

‘^We want to go through right away,’' 
yelled Hal in return. 

What do you mean by wanting to go 
through here at dead of night ? ” demanded 
a feminine voice from behind the blind. 

Hold on, Sal, till I get me gun,” said 
the gruff voice. I guess them ’s the gang 
I heard of, that try to enter the front door 
and the back door at the same time. I’ll 
fix ’em.” 

For mercy sakes ! ” cried Mrs. Maynot, 
frightened half out of her wits. ^^We are 
not burglars, my good man. We only 
want you to open, so that we can go right 
through.” 


A DAY AND A NIGHT. 


141 


Them ’s stark lunies,” said the gruff 
voice again. Look here ! You go home, 
and don’t wake honest folks ! We ain’t no 
public highway. D’ ye want me to call the 
police ? ” 

^^No, no!” cried Hal. ^^You wouldn’t 
arrest me? I’m the captain of the ^ Kit tie- 
wink.’ The tide is going ; we want to go 
through to Squam.” 

A good-natured laugh replied this time 
to the bewildered travellers. ^‘Ye geese! 
It ’s over there you belong, — there ! You 
hav’ n’t got the right house. There ! ” The 
window slammed down, and the gruff man 
went back to bed. 

How very peculiar ! ” sighed Mrs. May- 
not. ^^I am sure the man lived in this 
house this afternoon.” 

However, when the draw-tender was really 
found, he proved to be willing, wide-awake, 
and pleasant, and cheerfully went to his duty. 

I still think I shall get in on the river 


142 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

side. It is very windy, and I think it will 
be safer. I shall feel more at home,” said 
Mrs. Maynot. 

It was very dark, and the mother and 
the son did not see the man’s face when she 
made this suggestion. 

With a fair wind, I ’m afraid you’ll find 
it hard work a-stoppin’ of her when she spins 
through,” said the draw-tender, turning the 
crank after he had shut them out. 

^^We shall step down to the bank, and 
Phin will manage all that,” replied Mrs. 
Maynot, hopefully. 

This she proceeded to do as well as she 
could, assisted by Hal, and warned by the 
bridge-tender. It was an ugly bank, steep, 
muddy, slippery, and hard to get down. 
Mrs. Maynot scrambled and clambered, and 
Hal held and hauled, and together they 
reached a firm footing on some granite 
blocks, and stood looking out into the 
rushing darkness for the Kittiewink.’* 


A DAY AND A NIGHT. 


143 


There were a few loud calls, a mysterious 
bustle, another call ; then there was a swish. 
A shadow blacker than the night loomed up 
at their very side, overhung them, and like a 
gigantic bat passed swiftly by. The lady and 
the boy drew back, both frightened. The 
boat had come so near that they could have 
jumped aboard. 

It ’s them ! ” called the draw-tender, as 
he began to shut the bridge. 

^^Whoa!” shouted Mrs. Maynot. ^^Whoa 
there ! Whoa, Phin ! She made a step 
forward, and had not Hal held her, she 
would have gone ^^ke-plunk” into Squam 
River. 


]44 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

A NIGHT AND A DAY. 

As the reader may have surmised, Mrs. 
Maynot was not nautical. Besides, she was 
rather a dependent woman, used to leaning 
upon her husband in all matters ; and in 
his absence she found it natural to lean 
upon Hal, her only son. It is not a light 
matter for even the strongest-hearted man 
to stand alone at dead of night by the side 
of the mouth of Squam River. But to the 
sensitive woman and her high-strung boy, 
as they listened to the gurgle of the black 
tide and in vain strained to hear some 
familiar sound from their own boat, the 
moments were grewsome enough. The 
Kittiewink ” had disappeared as if it had 
sunk into the crater of a volcano. 


A NIGHT AND A DAY. 


145 


This is an awful Cut, Mother,” said Hal, 
clasping her hand tightly in order to give 
and take courage. Do you think they 
are more lost than we ? ” 

I don’t believe,” said Mrs. Maynot, after 
a pause, ^^that Phin would mean to desert 
us in this way. I hope he has not been 
struck by apoplexy. He ought to sail back 
to us.” 

Now, the facts were these. As the river 
was not over thirty feet wide at this point, 
and as both the wind and the tide were 
carrying the Kittiewink ” strongly away, 
to bring the sloop back was as impossible 
as swimming on a dry bowlder. But neither 
Mrs. Maynot nor Hal understood this. They 
strained their ears and listened painfully. 
From afar came the dim sound of oars; 
then it stopped. 

You hold my hand while I yell. Mother,” 
said Hal. So dismal was the place that at 

first he was frightened at his own voice. 

10 


146 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


But soon its familiar sound reassured him^ 
and he howled like a Comanche Indian. 

It 's only a poor woman and a boy 
a-tryin' to get to Squam. I guess they 
left ^em/’ said the draw-tender, in explana- 
tion to a policeman who had with unpre- 
cedented valor made up his mind to enforce 
the peace. 

I-yi ! ” came back a slight voice, buffet- 
ing against the wind. 

It 's Trot, Mother ! We ’re all right ! ” 
cried Hal, boisterously, releasing her hand. 

^^You are mistaken,” said Mrs. Maynot, 
confidently. ^^That is not a dog; it is a 
boy.” 

Then it ^s Non. — Non ! Non ! ” 

I ’m stuck in the mud. Come and help 
me off ! ” called Non, through the dark. 

Shove her off, you id., with the oars! ” 
answered Hal, putting his hands to his 
mouth. 

All righ-t ! ” 


A NIGHT AND A DAY. 


147 


An anxious silence followed. 

. Where are you ? I can't see an inch. 
I ’m off, I — think/' cried Non, in woe- 
begone jerks. 

Bunting along the narrow, sedgy banks, 
Non, guided by the sarcasm and praise of 
his friend, at last stopped in desperation 
at the stone pier below the feet of the 
two castaways. 

‘^You can row, Hal," said Non, almost 
crying in his plight. am covered from 
head to foot with this nasty mud. I had 
to get out twice to shove her off, and went 
in up to everywhere. You pick out the 
way now, and let me hoot at you.” 

Hal, feeling grateful for rescue at any 
price, consented. He felt that he would 
have no difficulty in managing the dory. 

Mrs. May not had nothing to say. They 
had come to Squam River at her urging; 
they had come to be safe. This was a bad 
beginning; and she had a sense of relief 


148 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

that, SO far, she was not at the bottom of 
this treacherous stream. 

Where is Phin, and the ^Kittiewink ' ? 
asked Hal, after a few strokes. Safe in his 
own dory, Hal began to take on the airs of 
a captain of a fifty-tonner finding fault with 
his crew. 

He said we could catch up to him at 
the railroad bridge, while he was waiting 
to have them open,’' answered Non, good- 
naturedly. 

Another bridge ! ” groaned Mrs. May- 
not, from the stern seat. Why did n’t 
Phin tell me ? ” 

Hal had not bumped into the inoffensive 
shore more than a dozen desperate times, 
and perhaps had not rowed more than ten 
minutes, when they heard the sound of the 
Kittiewink’s ” fog-horn. This cheered the 
three amazingly. With hope they continued 
upon their bewildering voyage. Well might 
Mrs. Maynot wish that she had never come 


A NIGHT AND A DAY. 


149 


to this dreadful river, or left the ^^Kittie- 
wink.” The black current seemed to twist 
and turn like a sea-serpent. The boys no 
longer pooh-poohed each other. Completely 
used up, Hal soon resigned his seat to the 
stronger lad. Where was the Kittiewink” ? 
The horn that had seemed so near now 
sounded faintly, and seemed to be receding. 

It is about a mile from the Cut Bridge 
to the draw of the railroad bridge. Here 
the tide divides, and the current that runs 
among the barnacled piers, along the narrow, 
boarded channel, is at any time swift and 
capricious. Many a boat has been over- 
turned here in broad day, when unskilfully 
rowed through the passage-way : yet it is 
not at all dangerous for the skilful sailor. 

But to row up Squam River at night, at 
ebb of tide, without getting hopelessly stuck 
in the mud, or entangled, or perhaps upset by 
the swirling current at the railroad bridge, 
is a feat to be proud of. How in the black- 


150 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

ness they got there, no one can tell ; but 
suddenly the little boat seemed to leap 
ahead. The tide had begun to turn. It 
tore through the narrow channel at the 
railroad bridge ; it sucked the dory in. 

Down ! ” cried Hal in terror, not kn'bw- 
ing what was coming, or into what whirl- 
pool they had drifted. 

Rowing was useless. Relentlessly the 
swift current now carried them along. 
Bump ! bump ! The dory struck against a 
pile, and then another, and a third. It 
careened until it almost took in the black 
water. 

Oh, Phin ! ’’ shrieked Hal and Non, 
loudly. Kittiewink ! 

Crash ! One of the oars, protruding from 
the oar-lock, caught in something, and broke 
with an ominous crackling. 

Look out there 1 shouted a voice from 
above. Let her drift ! The tide 'll take 
ye through. I could n’t wait for ye to 


A NIGHT AND A DAY. 151 

come up, and yer boat has gone through 
ahead.’' 

Then the dory shot again into a broad 
expanse of water, and the terrible bridge 
was luckily past. They now made no at- 
tempt to row. They simply followed their 
instinct and yelled. The sound of a horn 
replied to them. It grew nearer and 
clearer. 

^^We^re catching up, I guess.” So they 
comforted each other as they drifted along, 
shouting. 

Mrs. May not behaved very well. She did 
not shriek nor stir, nor give advice. In real 
danger she proved herself a self-possessed 
woman. She had not spoken for a long 
time. At last she said in a low voice, — 
There ! I hear Trot. He is barking on 
that ^-flat bark he has. We ’re safe now.” 

Then came Phin’s hoarse voice, — the 
sweetest music in the world. Here I am,” 
he cried. Pull for me voice ! ” 


152 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

But we Ve broken an oar.” 

Then paddle with the other ! Take it 
easy. I won’t stir.” 

He ’s anchored,” said Hal, authorita- 
tively. He has done just as I would have 
ordered.” 

Now the two boats seemed to be drawing 
together. Non worked his single oar 
mightily. Trot’s bark ran from y-flat to 
a-sharp, and up again. Another paddle, 
and still another, — and a strong hand 
grasped the dory, and held it with a clutch 
that was like that of fate itself. 

Are ye all safe ? ” asked Phin, huskily. 

Yes, thank God, Phin ! ” Mrs. Maynot 
spoke devoutly^ and well she might. 

The frightened party scrambled upon the 
deck of their yacht. Phineas was very 
sober. He did not dare to explain to them 
the significance of their narrow escape. He 
wondered how he could have been so yield- 
ing as to let Mrs. Maynot have her own 


A NIGHT AND A DAY. 


153 


way. What might it have cost? Suppose 
they had drifted with only one oar, perhaps 
past Annisquam, out into Ipswich Bay ! 
Had the Kittiewink ” not stopped where 
the water was slowest, that catastrophe 
would have been more than possible. 

They gathered together on the damp deck 
without saying a word for a long time. Mrs. 
May not thought of her husband. But Hal 
thought of Robinson Crusoe. Non was so 
bewildered that he did not think at all ; but 
Phineas went forward, and said to Trot, — 

“ If we get out o’ this yere fix alive, you 
don’t ketch me in Squam River again.” 

Do you think we had better go on ? 
What is this main-sail down for ? ” demanded 
Hal, with a sense of reviving responsibility. 

^^Do let us stay here until morning,” 
pleaded Mrs. Maynot, timidly ; for she had 
made up her mind to dictate no longer on 
boating matters. I think perhaps it will 
be safer.” 


154 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Yes 'm/’ said Phineas, laconically. 

^^Then we will stay here, Phin, until 
morning, as Mother says/’ said Hal, with 
a tone of authority. 

I think we will,” answered Phin, with a 
suggestive intonation. 

Why ? What do you mean ? ” asked 
Hal, suspiciously. 

Wall, if ye want ter know, we ’ve stuck 
here. We ’ve run aground, mum. The 
channel hez shifted since I was a boy, an’ 
we’re stuck. We cant go on. You can 
stay here till mornin’ as well as not, — in 
fact,, a sight better.” 

Oh, I am so glad ! I feel so much surer 
to be resting on land. I feel much relieved, 
Phin. I think we had better go to bed. 
You have done very well, Phineas,” said 
Mrs. May not, cheerfully. 

Phin, who had expected a volley of re- 
proaches for this accident, upon hearing this 
unqualified commendation, whistled. Just 


A NIGHT AND A DAY. 


165 


as ye say, mum/’ he replied gravely ; but 
I think I ’ll stay up an’ see how she ’s struck 
when the tide leaves her. I ’ve got one 
anchor out ; perhaps I ’ll have to put out 
the spare.” 

What ! Anchor her on dry land ! ” 
laughed Non. 

Yes, me boy,” said the skipper, dryly ; 
them ’s the times ye want to hold her the 
most.” 

Mrs. May not retired to her bunk immedi- 
ately. To her it had been a frightful day 
and night ; but the dangers were safely past; 
the Kittiewink ” was in a position practi- 
cally impregnable to the sea ; the boat neither 
rocked nor pitched nor swayed. As Mrs. 
Maynot dropped off to sleep, she felt for the 
first time the security which she had courted 
in Squam River. 

But Phineas stayed awake. He knew 
that the Kittiewink ” lay in a precarious 
situation. She had run head-first up on a 


156 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINR. 

bank barely covered at high tide ; the deep 
channel is fringed with such. Thus two 
thirds of the boat la}" in deep water, the rest 
in shallow. Phin had sounded with an oar, 
and had found out this uncomfortable fact. 
When the tide dropped, the boat must neces- 
sarily drop too. As the tide rises about 
eleven feet in Squam River, at low water 
the Kittiewink ’’ would in her present 
situation stand almost upright, — a position 
so straining as to be dangerous to spars and 
hull. But that was not the worst. When 
the tide would make again, the water, 
unable to raise the stern, would flow 
in over it and All the boat. Then the 
Kittiewink ’’ would ’be nothing less than 
swamped. 

With apprehension Phin watched the 
gradual settling of the boat. There was no 
danger to her at present, — that would come 
to-morrow. But Phineas brooded over the 
disgrace. The coast was full of old Ashing- 


A NIGHT AND A DAY. 


157 


mates, who would like nothing better than 
to paddle out in their dories from Annis- 
quam and Gloucester when the news came, 
to offer him derision and advice. If the 
Kittiewink ” could only have run ashore 
in a respectable way, he could have stood 
it ; but to be wrecked on a mud-flat in 
Squam River was more than his professional 
pride could bear. He blamed himself se- 
verely for giving in ” to his employer’s 
wife ; but he did not blame her. . 

In the mean time Mrs. Maynot and the 
boys slept soundly. Dawn came, and so 
gently had the boat sunk stern down, that 
the three sleepers had not been awakened. 
But Phineas was not idle. There was a 
clam spade on board, which the boys had 
used enthusiastically the flrst boating week. 
At the earliest break of day Phineas had 
vigorously begun to dig the bow of the 
Kittiewink ” down. In his zeal he had 
forgotten about Mrs. Maynot. He dug and 


158 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

pried and pushed, and dug again. As the 
tide fell, the job he had undertaken became 
at once easier and harder, — easier, for it 
gave him more room to work in ; harder, 
for it continually brought greater pressure 
on the bow. Phin dug untiringly. It was 
well that he did so. At last, tired out, he 
stopped to rest. The sun was almost up; 
the tide was almost low. The Kittie- 
wink ” looked as if she were trying to hop 
out of the water. Her appearance was ex- 
ceedingly funny. Phin seemed to feel the 
Kittie wink’s ” loss of dignity. In despair, 
he pried and pushed for the hundredth time. 
There was a spurt of black ooze, a lurch, 
and a splash, followed by a succession of 
shrieks and figures. The Kittiewink ” had 
reeled sideways into the channel, which was 
not more than four feet deep now, and there 
she lay upon her side. The fall, which was 
considerable, had splashed the water into 
the cock-pit and the cabin, and had wet Mrs. 


A NIGHT AND A DAY. 159 

Maynot and Hal at the same time that the 
shock had waked them up. 

We ’re run into ! ” yelled Hal. He had 
been thrown out of his bunk to the floor of 
the cabin. The cold ducking completed his 
fright. ‘^We’re sinking!” he cried, as he 
rushed as well as he could up the tipping 
companion-way to the slanting deck. 

It has come at last,” said Mrs. Maynot. 
She closed her eyes, unable to move from 
fright. She expected the sea to swallow 
her up on the instant. 

But Non, who had been sleeping like a 
log in the forecastle, and had not been 
slapped with the water, woke with the 
thought that he had had a nightmare, and 
coolly asked, Hullo, Phin 1 What’s that?” 

With shivering gaze Hal contemplated 
their isolated position in the sluggish river. 

He looked in vain for the reason of his 
shock and shower-bath. With the excep- 
tion of the slant of the boat, which he ex- 


160 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


pected under the circumstances, there was 
nothing to account for his experience, ex- 
cept Phin. 

As drowning did not immediately set in, 
Mrs. Maynot wrapped herself in a blanket 
and ventured up. The river, robbed of its 
fair overflow, looked insignificant, and as 
harmless as a ^^polliwog.” Mrs. Maynot 
heaved a deep breath of relief. 

It was Phin, Mother,” said Hal, with 
trembling lip. He threw water on us for 
fun. I shall dismiss him on the spot.” 

But before the captain of the Kittie- 
wink” could carry out his formidable threat, 
Phin spoke up from the bank above him : 

I ’m sorry to disturb ye, mum ; but if she 
hadn’t fetched bottom, you’d ’a’ had no 
yacht to take ye to Squam. She ’d ’a’ been 
as full as a herrin’ by noon.” 

Then you didn’t throw water on us?” 
asked Hal, doubtfully. Who did ? ” 

See here ! ” answered Phin, pointing to 


A NIGHT AND A DAY. 


161 


the deep rut in the steep bank which the 
bow of the boat had made as it slid down. 

Thar ’s where she were a lookin’ like a 
grasshopper. Now she ’s where she ought 
to be, an’ ye kin all rest easy. She won’t 
swamp now, I ’ll bet ! ” 

Phineas was radiant. The boat was not 
the worse for her tumble. Only Trot 
seemed to understand the situation. He 
ran out on the bowsprit and jumped into 
Phin’s arms and kissed him good-morning. 
That little ’cuteness on Trot’s part helped 
restore Hal’s good humor and Mrs. Maynot’s 
confidence. Trot seemed like home and dry 
land and common things. 

You have done very well,” repeated 
Mrs. Maynot, cheerfully. I can see. that 

we are perfectly safe.” 

11 


162 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


CHAPTER IX. 

MRS. MAYNOT’s first SAIL. 

It was exactly at half-past two o’clock 
in the afternoon that the Kittiewink ” 
dropped her anchor successfully in Anni- 
squani harbor. One might have thought 
that the White Squadron ” had appeared, 
to judge from the excitement that this sim- 
ple nautical feat produced upon the com- 
munity. A private naphtha-launch had 
generously offered to tow the wrecked boat 
in. As the wind was as uncertain as a 
broker’s bank-account, the offer was ac- 
cepted with haste. Row-boats began to 
cluster about the ungainly black sloop ; 
and Hal and Non, feeling that heroism had 
been thrust upon them, tried to look like 
veteran yachtsmen, all the while casting 


MRS. MAYNOT’s first SAIL. 163 

sheeps'-eyes about to see if anybody were 
laughing at them. Besides, where was Louise 
Concord? Where her party of girls? Might 
they not be among those merry boat-loads? 
The fact of it was, the river had been so 
uneventful that season that the news of the 
accident to the Kittiewink ” had spread 
like the tide. Everybody who had, or who 
might, could, should have, a boat, took one 
and rowed out to see what had happened. 
Artists, some men and most women, dropped 
their brushes with a half-ashamed alacrity 
for this unusual excitement. A safe wreck 
on a mud-flat was a thing that Squam could 
not afford to overlook. 

Mrs. Maynot, behind an umbrella, on the 
steamer chair in the cock-pit, stood the gaze 
of the curious with admirable composure. 
Hal and Non felt rather proud of the atten- 
tion which they excited among the summer 
boarders. But Phineas, although preferring 
to be towed than to tow himself, chafed at 


164 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

the scoffs of a few small boys who came out 
to see sights and to dig clams. He said he 
felt like a cat-fish in a cage ; he was n’t 
used to being gawked at so, and wished 
they were back at Marblehead. In fact, 
Phin’s manner had changed since the morn- 
ing of the day before. The night had made 
him morose. He regarded Mrs. May not with 
apprehensive suspicion. What might she not 
bring upon them next ? Phin was not super- 
stitious : but, in a respectful way, he felt 
that the sooner she was off the boat the 
better. 

When the operation of anchoring had at 
last been performed, Phineas Scrod came 
aft, stood behind Mrs. Maynot’s chair, and 
coughed. Mrs. May not, who thought that 
Phin was doing something, as usual, with 
ropes, did not notice him. Then Phineas 
coughed again. 

^^Am I in your way, Phin?” asked Mrs. 
Maynot, pleasantly. 


MRS. MAYNOT’s first SAIL. 165 

Excuse me, mum, but ye won’t be 
oneasy at what I say ? ” said Phin, 
slowly. 

Not at all. Is anything wrong ? Does 
the ship leak ? ” asked Mrs. Maynot, jump- 
ing up. 

’T aint any matter with the boat,” pro- 
ceeded Phin. Ye see, I ’ve got to the end 
of my dishes ; we ’ve had chowder three 
times, and beans twice — ” 

What on earth are you driving at, 
Phineas ? ” interrupted his mistress, sitting 
down again. 

Wall, ye see, ye ain’t cumf tolerable here, 
an’ perhaps ye ’d better live ashore in Squam 
fur a spell.” 

Phineas Scrod,” said Mrs. Maynot, se- 
verely, what more do you mean ? ” 

Wall, I don’t mean nothin’, mum, in 
partickelar ; only this, mum, — it don’t seem 
to me this aint no place fur a woman on 
board a small packet like this, onless she ’s 


166 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

an out-and-out sailor ; ’n’ even then she 's 
better off ashore.” 

^^Do you mean to say that I make it 
perilous for my boys by living on the ship?” 
asked Mrs. Maynot, tremulously. 

Them ’s my idee, mum.” Phineas had 
turned on all the courage he possessed to 
say this. He did it, or he thought he did 
it, as a duty, and always remembered it 
afterwards as the bravest deed of his life. 

Mrs. Maynot looked the old sea-dog in 
the face. She saw there a fidelity and 
honesty that any woman should respect. 
Then she dropped her eyes. I see it 
now,” she said softly. think you are 
right. I will go at once. And, Phin,” she 
added, laying her delicate white hand upon 
his rugged arm, shall trust my boy to 
you entirely.” 

Phin was greatly touched. He felt more- 
over a twinge of remorse ; but he was in 
for it now. For good or ill he held to his 


MKS. MAYNOT’s first SAIL. 167 

professional opinion, and the lady aboard 
must go ashore. 

Non and Hal were below changing their 
clothes preparatory to hunting up the 
young ladies, and they had not heard this 
conversation. 

Ye needn’t go right away,” said Phin, in 
as hospitable a tone as he could command. 

I shall go immediately,” said Mrs. May- 
not, firmly. Phin’s sense of duty was like 
a baby’s compared to that of the mother of 
his captain. 

The boys heard her decision, almost in- 
credulously. But they were not troubled 
by it ; truth to tell, they were relieved. 
They rowed Mrs. May not and her baggage 
ashore, and proceeded to hunt up a board- 
ing-house for her and the cousin at the same 
time. Mrs. Maynot, it will be remembered, 
had not had a single sail upon the. boat, — 
unless one called it a sail, the being towed 
by a naphtha launch over a section of Squam 


168 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

River ; yet she felt that she had known 
unlimited experience. She had spent sev- 
eral nights aboard, although these had all 
been passed either in a harbor or upon a 
mud-flat. Therefore it was with a certain 
regret that she abandoned the peaceful 
bosom of Squam River for the commonplace 
occupation of a boarding-house search on 
dry land. 

This proved indeed no satisfactory busi- 
ness. Full ” — Full Full/’ came 

back the grim reply from door after 
door. At the fifth house which the party 
made an object of attack, Mrs. Maynot 
varied the question which she had been 
shooting with pertinacious patience at the 
village of Annisquam : Have n’t you a 
little room vacant ? ” 

Is there a young lady called Louise Con- 
cord staying here ? ” demanded Hal, eagerly, 
at the same time. 

I ’m full ! ” answered the landlady, me- 


MRS. MAYNOT’s first SAIL. 169 

chanically. Her cook, the thirteenth she 
had employed that summer, had just left 
her, and she was in a hurry to get back to 
her dinner. 

‘^We didn’t ask if you were full,” said 
Hal, indignantly; we asked for Miss Louise 
Concord.” 

^^I’m too full to take her in,” repeated 
the landlady, majestically. I ’ve never 
heard of her.” With that she whisked 
away. 

The three, followed by Trot, tramped 
across the hot dusty street to another board- 
ing-house, and rang the bell a little impa- 
tiently. The landlady’s daughter answered 
the summons. She was an attractive young 
lady, and the boys looked upon her with 
approval. Wild-roses were caught in her 
waist. She seemed herself a wild-flower of 
Cape Ann. 

“I am looking for a room,” began Mrs. 
May not, gently. 


170 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

‘‘ I am SO sorry ; but our last guests, a 
couple of artists from the West, have just 
put up cots in the woodshed. They say it 
will make a capital studio. You see — ” 

Yes,” answered Mrs. Maynot, sadly. 

Does my cousin, Louise Concord, stay 
here ? ” began Hal. 

“ She is tall and very pretty,” explained 
Non, with a slight blush. 

If you will go up the row, past . that 
house, and across a vacant lot, in the second 
of three houses I think you may find her. 
She was staying there yesterday.” The 
daughter of what must have been a very 
charming hostess bowed politely. 

I wish we could invite her to go out 
sailing in the ^ Kittiewink,’ Mother,” said 
Hal, in a whisper. He was very much 
pleased with his first Squam young lady. 

By no means,” returned his mother, in a 
horrified tone. ‘^We don’t even know her 


name. 


MRS. MAYNOt’s first SAIL. 171 

I guess I could find out/’ protested Hal. 

The girl seemed to divine his hospitality ; 
with an amused, indulgent smile she turned 
and vanished within the house. 

There ! ” said Hal, giving his foot a 
little stamp, 1 shall never see her again. 
It ’s real mean of you. Mother ! ” The 
memory of that pretty face stayed with the 
lad, as such little memories do stay in 
the fancies of boys, and even remained there 
for as much as a week or ten days. 

But Non did not notice the landlady’s 
daughter; he was intent upon the search 
for Louise, who was not his intimate cousin. 
How he wished she were ! He had seen her 
but once, six months before, when she was 
on a visit to the Maynots. He had since 
thought that he liked her, and hoped that 
she remembered and liked him. And yet 
he saw her in his mind but dimly. How 
tall she was ! and how beautiful ! She 
seemed to him like a lily of the valley, so 


172 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

modest and sweet she was, and so delicate 
of complexion. He thought that this simile 
was his own discovery, and he treasured it 
in his heart, and meant to tell her of it 
when he grew up and would dare to. 

Now the party approached the last board- 
ing-house in Squam. They began to be 
thoroughly discouraged. Mrs. May not sat 
down on the piazza this time while Non 
eagerly rang the bell. Hall still sulked a 
little for that landlady’s daughter, and 
stayed below. Trot, who felt that life was 
becoming monotonous, casting about him 
for amusement, discovered a knitting boarder 
on the piazza, and forthwith pounced upon 
her ball of yarn, and proceeded to wind 
himself up about her chair with inextricable 
skill. 

When the mistress of the house appeared. 
Non put in the first word. 

She went yesterday,” answered the 
landlady, laconically. 


MRS. MAYNOT’s first SAIL. 173 

Then I can have her room/’ said Mrs. 
Maynot, with a sigh of relief. 

‘^That was filled last night. An artist 
from New York and his wife/’ continued 
the woman, in a kindly spirit, seeing Mrs. 
Maynot’s look of utter dejection, have 
curtained ofi part of the upper hall, and are 
sleeping there. He paints on canvas and 
she on paper.” 

Where did she go ? ” asked Non, utterly 
oblivious of any other important need but 
his own. 

Who ? ” The landlady turned her ex- 
perienced eye upon him, and asked, Is that 
your dog ? ” 

Miss Louise Concord,” insisted Non, im- 
pervious to everything but his point. Dr. 
Plaster always said that Non would succeed 
in life if he ever woke up. 

Oh, she ? She went to Rockport. Shoo ! 
scat ! shoo ! Your dog is twisting up my 
boarder. Can’t you stop him ? Scat, sir ! 
Scat I ” 


174 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

He has tied me up all around my legs/ 
cried the boarder, who was an old lady, and 
did not seem to be able, from some occult 
reason, to move. 

It took the united efforts of the whole 
party to separate the boarder and the ter- 
rier ; and several private efforts on the 
part of Hal to convince Trot that the 
ball of yarn was not a rat and not to be 
worried. 

I think we had better go,” said Mrs. 
Maynot, feebly, when the excitement sub- 
sided. can't get in anywhere. What 
shall I do?” 

Let 's go to Rockport,” said Non, deci- 
sively. It ’s no fun here.” 

They walked slowly down to the wharf 
where their dory was tied. Hal carried the 
bag that came ashore to stay, and which 
could not find a lodging. It was now about 
one o’clock, almost the hottest part of the 
day; yet there was a slight breeze. upon the 


MRS. MAYNOT’s first SAIL. 175 

water, and several boats were skimming 
about idly. Phineas and his canned-soup 
dinner greeted them soberly. He knew by 
her looks that his mistress had failed to 
find the lodgings he recommended. 

Don’t put that bag down in the cabin,” 
said Mrs. Maynot to her son. ^^What shall 
I do, Phineas ? You know it would not be 
right for me to stay here on the ship; it 
might ^make it unsafe.” 

That ’s so, mum,” said Phineas, gravely. 

You might take the evening train home.” 

But I do not wish to. Mr. Maynot will 
not be home until Saturday. I don’t want 
to be at home alone.” 

Then for the second time Non suavely 
suggested that Louise Concord was at Pock- 
port, and could find a place for the house- 
less lady. This idea met with unanimous 
approval; and it was decided that Mrs. 
Maynot should take the five o’clock stage 
for the Gloucester station, and go up on 


176 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

the 6.15 train. The boys would sail around 
next day. 

It ’s a shame ! '' said Hal, a little con- 
science-stricken, after dinner, and at the 
same time desirous of filling up the interval 
before her departure, ‘Hhat Mother has never 
even had a sail. Can’t we take her out for 
a little spin ? What do you say, Phin ? 

The, lady was delighted when Phin as- 
sented doubtfully to the proposition. 

Hal, will you get me my smelling-salts ? 
It ’s on the right-hand side. Don’t spill the 
things out 1 Be careful ! You see 1 am not 
frightened.” 

Mrs. May not was doing her best to be 
brave for the sake of a last impression*. 
How many a woman has expended her 
vitality in trying to be heroic in the face 
of imaginary dangers ! When the main- 
sail was going up, she asked with cunningly 
expressed anxiety : Are you going to put 
up all that fabric ? ” 


MRS. MAYNOT’s first SAIL. 177 

When the sail was finally hoisted, and 
the boat careened an inch or two in the 
light air, she gave a little jump from her 
chair, and with a quiver in her tone said : 

Oh, Phin, I do hope she is hitched. ’’ 

On being assured that she was, Mrs. May- 
not leaned back with great relief. ^^As long 
as she is tied, I know I shall enjoy it very 
much.” 

Just before they started to haul up the 
anchor, Mrs. Maynot ventured : Why can 
we not sail this way ? I am sure it is very 
nice, and I am enjoying it.’' 

But we 're not sailing. Mother,” said 
Hal, impatiently ; we 're anchored fast.” 

My son, don’t try to deceive your mother. 
Look at the shore moving. We are passing 
that bubble on the water.” 

That ^s the tide, and she ’s swinging at her 
anchor,” explained Hal, almost in despair. 

Are n’t we sailing, Phin ? ” 

^‘No, mum.” 


12 


178 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

^^Then what is all that fabric up there 
for?’' demanded Mrs/Maynot, with the air 
of being deceived by all aboard, and know- 
ing better. don’t care to go fast, and 
am perfectly satisfied,” continued their guest. 
“ It is very exhilarating. I am not at all 
timid.” 

What shall we do with her ? ” whispered 
Hal to Phineas. 

There ! I saw the lighthouse disappear. 
Now, don’t tell me that we are not going,” 
said Mrs. Maynot, triumphantly. ^^It is a 
delightful boat, and very steady.” 

Put up the jib, Phin,” ordered Hal in 
disgust. He forgot that the anchor was 
still down. 

No ! Don’t put up any more linen ! I 
am sure we don’t need it. We are going 
very well,” pleaded Mrs. Maynot. Yielding 
to the gentle breeze, and to a feeling of per- 
fect security, she leaned back her head and 
closed her eyes. 


MRS. MAYNOT’s first SAIL. 179 

Quiet reigned upon the Kittiewink.’' To 
undeceive Mrs. Maynot seemed impossible ; 
and if finally possible, cruel. Hal and Non 
and Trot huddled together in front of the 
mast, watching the falling tide eddy about 
the moored boat. Phin sat languidly at the 
wheel. The mast, being so far forward, and 
the main-sail with its high peak being up, 
and the tide being against the wind, made 
the Kittiewink ” start ahead as if she were 
adrift, wear around, and perform all sorts 
of innocent antics about her anchor. This 
uneasiness did give a feeble impression of 
moving, that might have been sufficient to 
cheat a lady with her eyes shut, and igno- 
rant of the sea. For at least a quarter of 
an hour Mrs. Maynot kept her eyes closed, 
fearing for her life to open them lest she 
be taken seasick. The boys kept silent, 
entering at last into the novel joke. They 
exchanged glances with merry eyes, and 
stuffed things into their mouths to keep 
from laughing. 


180 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


Are we in yet ? ’’ asked Mrs. Maynot, 
still not daring to look. I am sure sailing 
is not so bad as they say it is. I am not at 
all frightened. Don’t I behave very well, 
Phin ? Do I interfere with your steering ? 
Am I in your way ? ” 

^^Yes’m. Very well, indeed. Not at all. 
We ’re most in.” 

Here we are. Mother,” cried Hal, not 
being able to stand it another minute. 

The swift tide made a gentle ripple 
as it passed the boat. The sail was up. 
The boat brought up on her anchor 
with a little jerk. Of course they had 
sailed. Mrs. Maynot opened her eyes, raised 
herself, and looked about. The same scene 
met her gaze as when she had closed 
them. 

‘^This is delightful!” she exclaimed en- 
thusiastically. Plow quietly you do things ! 
No noise, no bustle. Hal is becoming a very 
good sailor, is he not, Phineas ? Now, tell 


MRS. MAYNOT’s first SAIL. 181 

me, — did I not behave prettily ? I was n’t 
frightened, was I ? ” 

Hypocritically they all assured her that 
she was the best lady sailor that they had 
ever had aboard, — which was strictly true, 
and very satisfactory. 

And now came the time for Mrs. Maynot’s 
departure. Phin was to row her ashore, 
carry her bag, and find her the coach. She 
kissed the boys good-by tenderly. How 
motherly she was ! How she had cared for 
them and brought them things to eat, and 
cooked for them so much better than Phin, 
and tidied up the boat ! Yes, in spite of 
her nautical deficiencies the boys were sorry 
to have her go. Trot understood it, and he 
howled tremendously. 

One more kiss, Hal, my dear son. You 
will be careful, and do just what Phineas 
says ? There ! Must I climb over the peak 
when I get out ? 


182 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


CHAPTER X. 

A NARROW ESCAPE. 

Eager to escape the river, to court the 
broad bay and the free Atlantic, the Kit- 
tiewink ” started next morning with a mild 
southerly wind to sail around the Cape to 
Rockport. During the night a fog-bank had 
rolled in, but this was dissipated by the in- 
sistent sun by nine in the morning. Even 
at quarter- tide the Kittiewink ” languidly 
and securely pushed across the bar that in- 
troduces Squam River to Ipswich Bay. 

The water looked like blue velvet that 
summer morning. It lapped the white 
beach daintily. There was not even the 
smallest swell to shock the most delicate 
sensitiveness. The ruffling breeze barely 
distended the sails, and it seemed as if 


A NARROW ESCAPE. 


183 


man had no kinder friend than this un- 
fathomable power, that condescended to re- 
pose. Far ahead on the horizon Mount 
Agamenticus could be faintly seen ; behind, 
the broad beach and the sand dunes receded 
reluctantly. It was a day in a thousand. 

So cool, so calm, so bright,” — it made 
one in love with life, and above all with 
life upon a yacht. Hal and Non, and even 
Phineas, admitted that if only Mrs. May- 
not could have been with them, all her 
horror of sailing would have been dissolved 
in these delights. Unfortunately upon the 
ocean, to will is not to be. 

We ’ll be in by noon, if nothing don’t 
happen,” said Phineas, hopefully, ungram- 
matically, and cautiously, after a glance 
about. 

Have you ever noticed seamen’s eyes ? 
They are different from ordinary eyes, such 
as you see, for instance, in the village of 
Sweet Fern. They are like the eyes of 


184 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

scouts upon our frontier. They are deep- 
set, steady, observant. They always look 
as if they were asking questions, and ex- 
pecting the clouds, the air, the tide to an- 
swer them. They are never off the alert. 
Their pupils are large, and the eyeball moves 
with the head. This is a sign of concen- 
trated apprehension, and it gives even the 
most insignificant man an air of authority 
when he is upon the deck of a vessel. The 
seaman’s eye is his patent of experience. 
Phineas Scrod had such eyes, and these were 
sufficient in times of emergency to control 
his inexperienced boys. He never could 
control Trot except by a pat or a stroke. 
In this respect the skipper and the terrier 
were a little alike. 

I just as lief we ’d take till night. This 
is immense,” said Hal, drinking in the re- 
freshing wind from the cool side of the 
main-sail. 

I would like to stay out all night.” 


A NARROW ESCAPE. 


185 


Non was at the wheel, and felt the necessity 
of going his captain one better. 

Pretty soon Phineas came up on deck. 
He had now finished his work below. 

Keep her up a bit. So, steady.’’ 

Phin directed the course, and sat down 
beside Non in the cock-pit. Trot amused 
himself by barking at the Mother Carey’s 
chickens (those beautiful sea-birds, supposed 
by superstitious sailors to be the re-embodied 
souls of their lost comrades) as they 
skimmed past the boat, or hopped upon the 
water, balancing themselves with their flut- 
tering wings, or uttering their peculiar wail, 
that sounded like the creaking of the main- 
sheet block. Phineas smelled the air, tried 
to peer into the secrets of the horizon 
with his deep, unwavering eyes, and then, 
to Non’s disgust, took the wheel himself, 
and steered nearer the land. The boys 
noticed that he consulted the compass fre- 
quently, and seemed to be studying the. 
course. This excited their amusement. 


186 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Don’t you know where we are?” asked 
Hal, with what was meant to be a sarcastic 
grin. 

I can tell you if you don’t,” said Non, 
who was still miffed at being asked to resign 
the wheel. 

Phineas did not answer. He stretched 
out his hand towards the extreme point of 
Cape Ann. The two boys turned and gazed. 
The sight did not look peculiarly impress- 
ive to them ; but the atmosphere that to- 
wards Newburyport was lucid even to the 
uttermost horizon, seemed in the opposite 
direction to end in indistinctness. 

don’t see anything,” said Hal, con- 
temptuously, nor you either.” 

Ay, I hope you won’t,” answered Phin- 
eas, devoutly. 

But the wind was fair, the sun trium- 
phant, the sea as harmless as a caterpillar. 
Phin thought that what he feared might 
blow by, and made no motion to turn back, 


A NARROW ESCAPE. 


187 


and the boys were confident of dining 
ashore with Mrs. Maynot. Even as they 
were talking about this, and wondering 
what they would have for dinner, the main- 
sail flapped and the jibs rattled; and then 
the life seemed all at once to be taken out of 
the sunlight. It was as if the day were 
stabbed of its buoyancy. An east wind, raw 
and perverse, suddenly struck the ^^Kittie- 
wink,” diverted it from its course, and 
•chilled its passengers. 

Whew ! Did n’t that come suddenly ! ” 
ejaculated the captain of the Kittiewink,” 
who ought to have kept his eyes open, and 
seen the gloom upon the distant water. 

As yet, however, the sun was not de- 
prived of its brilliancy ; only its heat was 
gone. Trot shivered, and ran to his master, 
to cuddle in his lap. The terrier began to 
wonder why he had ever chosen to go yacht- 
ing. Indeed, the majority of the party had 
often wondered too. Of what use was the 


188 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

little dog ? In an emergency he was always 
in the way. As the wind had headed them 
off, Phineas took the tack that brought them 
nearer the shore. 

I guess he is afraid/' said Non, with a 
superb gesture of fearlessness. You ought 
to see me at the wheel. I 'd make her 
whiz ! ” 

As Non uttered this natural boyish boast, 
he looked up over the port bow, and suddenly 
stopped. He seized Hal by the shoulder and • 
turned him about. Hal had been sitting 
with his back to the bow, and the sight was 
a revelation. 

What 's that, Phin ? What does that 
mean ? " the boys cried out, and jumped into 
the cock-pit. 

Before them arose an ominous line of clouds. 
They rolled in overlapping circular masses. 
They were dark and impenetrable. The 
upper part of the clouds grew lighter and 
lighter, until it seemed to melt into the blue 


A NARROW ESCAPE. 


189 


sky. The contrast between this apparition 
and the perfect day was almost terrifying. 
Even as they looked, the clouds expanded 
and rolled and sported and chased one an- 
other. They advanced with increasing ra- 
pidity ; and as they charged, the atmosphere 
became cold. 

Had n’t we better reef?” asked Hal, 
with a glorious attempt at caution. 

“ ’T ain’t wind. It ’s wuss,” said Phin, 
slowly. 

Like a funeral pall the terrible clouds 
rolled towards them. 

What is it, Phin ? ” asked Hal, edging 
close beside his stanch old friend. 

It ’s fog ! ” 

Only a sailor knows what the awful mean- 
ing of that monosyllable is. Wind he can 
endure, plenty of it; sometimes, the more 
the better. Of great waves he is not dis- 
trustful. But when the fog creeps in, and 
with its dank embrace shuts him out from 


190 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

all the world, and all the world from him, 
then the light-hearted fellow thinks of land, 
of wife and child and God. 

Ha, hum, is that all ? ” laughed Hal. 

I’ll keep her over to the shore; perhaps 
’t won’t reach as fur as there,” said Phin 
to himself. 

Even as the one laughed in his ignorance 
and the other planned in his hope, the cloud 
shot forth a monstrous white tongue. It 
seemed transparent, like a bridal-veil ; it 
leaped forth along the surface of the water 
and enveloped the boat ; it was like a fairy 
layer of mist, so impalpable and imperma- 
nent that a breath might have puffed it away. 
The Kittiewink ” was sailing in a white 
shroud. Vision was cut off ahead, behind ; 
and still the sun shone from above, and they 
could see the blue sky as through a dream. 

Is n’t it beautiful ! ” cried Hal, standing 

up 

^^No, no!” growled the unaesthetic sail- 


A NARROW ESCAPE. 


191 


ing-niaster ; it ’s wuss nor a school o’ 
grampiisses.” 

Then the yacht glided into the opaque 
bank of white and of purple, and was swal- 
lowed by it. At that moment a bell smote 
upon their tensely strained ears. Phin 
quickly made a dive below for their unused 
fog-horn, and blew a long blast. Now, at 
last, the boys began to understand the terror 
of being caught at sea in a fog. With faith- 
ful regularity the skipper drew out one 
long mournful blast from the horn. Then 
they would all listen eagerly for an answer. 
Hal and Non tried in vain to blow ; but it 
required the practice gained through many 
a dangerous day and night upon the Grand 
Banks, and the well-seasoned lungs of an 
old salt, for the warning sound to carry far 
enough to be useful. As yet no answer came 
to their regular toot. They only heard, or 
thought they did, the steam fog-whistle from 
Thatcher’s lights. 


192 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

I wonder whar that bell wiiz, ’’ mused 
Phin, aloud. It seemed astern. ’T wan’t 
from Squam ; thet ’s too far off^ an’ the 
wind is dead agin it.” 

The boys began to be uncomfortable. The 
memory of tales of spectre bells upon fog- 
laden coasts made them huddle closer to- 
gether. Non was chilled in his light flannel- 
suit, yet he hardly dared to go below and 
get an overcoat. Although Phin had not 
told him so, he now understood that a few 
seconds might bring an overhanging prow, 
a crash, and perhaps the most hopeless of 
fates, death by collision in a fog at sea. 

To-o-o-t ! ” bayed Phin, at the unseen 
within the impenetrable cloud. Then there 
came a long, deep, solemn answer, the first 
they had heard. 

We ’re round the pint ! ” said Phin, 
joyfully. Let ofl the sheets ! I thought 
so.” 

How do you know?” asked the boys. 


A NARROW ESCAPE. 


193 


It seemed incredible that any mortal could 
pilot them in such a plight ; for where they 
sat in the stern, even the bowsprit was 
indistinct in the mist. 

Ugh ! ” said Phin, growing more com- 
municative, and wiping off the drops from 
his beard It ’s so thick it ’s got stems on 
it. Look ye here ! ” turning to his boys. 
ayYe're in the regular vessels’ track now. 
That ’s a Portsmouth steamer. I can take 
ye safe into Rockport from here. But ye 
keep yer ears peeled ; fishermen and coasters 
are as thick as dog-fish here.” 

As a clincher to this uncomfortable state- 
ment, he put the red-painted horn to his lips 
and blew so loud and long that Hal won- 
dered where all that breath came from. 
Now an answer came from afar off. But 
Phin did not notice that. Then a horn sounded 
nearer. Blast! ” answered Phin in response. 

Toot! toot ! ” interrupted a third. ^^Hoot ! 
Hoot ! ” shrieked another. This grim coquet- 

13 


194 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK!. 


ting was carried on for some time, but no 
vessel came near enough to excite apprehen- 
sion of danger. 

During this time, Trot, who had been 
utterly neglected, begaja to be uneasy. He 
walked up and down the deck from one side 
to the other. His bright eyes pierced, or 
seemed to pierce, the gray fog. 

Thy sentinel am I ! ” sang Hal in deri- 
sion, pointing at the parading pup. 

Lie down ! commanded Non. 

Let him be,” said Phin ; he don’t do 
no hurt.” Then he blew his horn again, 
and in the silence that seemed ten times 
intensified after the noise, they strained 
their excited ears to hear. 

I don’t hear anything,” said Hal, de- 
cisively ; do you ? ” 

No,” said Non. I guess it ’s all right.” 

Phin nodded doubtfully. At this moment 
Trot ran up into the bow of the Kittie- 
wink,” put his forepaws up on the rail, 


A NARROW ESCAPE. 


195 


and peered anxiously into the opaqueness. 
He begun to utter little whines. 

Shut up, and come scft ! ’’ ordered Hal, 
impatiently. 

But the dog;^ heedless of this command, 
walked out a couple of feet on the bowsprit 
and began to bark madly. Every hair on 
his little body stood up on end. 

What on earth is he up to ? ” asked Non, 
nudging Hal. We can’t hear anything. 
Can’t you shut him up ? ” 

But Phin stood up with one hand on the 
wheel, and looked distrustfully ahead. The 
old sailor knew enough not to disregard the 
least sign at a time like this. ' ' 

Bow-wow-wow-wow 1 How-now-now ! ” 
continued Trot, more furious than ever. 

Shut up, can’t you ? Come here, sir ! ” 
yelled Hal. 

My God 1 ” cried Phin, above the noises. 
^‘ Look out ! She ’s on us ! ” He gave the 
wheel a mighty turn, and at the same time 


196 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


stretched forth his hand and unloosened the 
painter of the dory from a cleat at his side. 

There was a rush as of rapids gurgling 
over bowlders ; then a great cloud rose be- 
fore them, blacker than the cloud from 
which it had so stealthily come. Above the 

Kittiewink ” a huge bow wavered for a 
moment, as if hesitating whether to spare or 
to strike. There came the rattling of ropes 
and chains, the flap of the leach of great 
sails, the running to and fro of men, then 
the shivering of canvas. 

Hard down your helium ! ” shrieked 
Phin, at the apparition, with a voice made 
terrible by fear. 

The boys did not utter a cry; the great 
vessel had come so suddenly upon them. 
They were paralyzed by the dreadful spectre. 
Then there was a shock. Had the helms- 
man not obeyed Phin’s shout, the Kittie- 
wink ’’ would have been cut in two. As it 
was, the end of the boom of the Kittie- 


A NARROW ESCAPE. 


197 


wink’' drew a straight line along the hull 
that overtowered them. Phin had cast the 
painter of the dory off, for the vessel had shot 
in between it and him. Men leaned far over 
the high rail and looked down upon the 
cockle-shell that one foot more would have 
sent to the bottom. They looked at it with 
contempt, as men do at a fly they crush in 
their hand. 

Why don’t ye git out the way ? ” sneered 
one fellow. He spat tobacco juice towards 
Trot, who went wild with rage at the insult. 

Pretty close call ! You ’d better be keer- 
ful next time,” sang out another. 

The skipper, the captain of the ^^Kittie- 
wink,” Non, and Trot followed the great 
three-masted schooner with their eyes until 
it melted out of sight. They could not 
answer. A moment — such as one cannot en- 
dure without growing very much older, — and 
the monster had come, and was gone. The 
demoniac fog had cast its prey at the crush- 


198 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

ing hull; but a Power that is always too 
great to be lightly explained had in its 
own way saved the boys and their boat. 
They came about, luckily picked up their 
dory in the schooner’s wake, and stood off 
again. 

For what seemed a long time, nobody 
spoke aboard the Kittiewink.” Then Phin 
said solemnly: it hadn’t been fur that 

pup’s squeakin’ ye would n’t ’a’ had no pup 
nor yacht nor nothin’. When he got up an’ 
hollered, I thought there were sonth’n, an’ 
I stood up, an’ I seed it cornin’ ; and here 
we be, — thank the Power and the pup ! ” 

I think that Mother would have called 
it — eh — Providence,’’ said Hal, timidly 
and devoutly. He was much shaken. The 
boy who was taken from a sick room was 
trembling in every nerve, and his teeth were 
chattering like castanets. 

An’ she’s right,” said Phin, .authorita- 
tively. It were both.” 


A NARROW ESCAPE. 


199 


I am so glad I brought him/' said Hal, 
hugging his little dog. 

Ye ’d better be/’ answered Phin, shortly. 

So Trot paid his passage on that yachting 
trip. ^ 

But why did n't it answer our horn ? " 
asked Hal. I thought they had to in a 
fog.” 

Bless your soul ! them big coasters 
loaded with coal or ice don’t care a copper. 
They 're just like a ledge. Nothin’ can’t 
hurt them. They gits careless like. Fisher- 
men are skeered to death on 'em and the 
steamers/’ explained Phineas. All ye 
have to do is to look out fur ’em ; they 
won’t fur you. It were the closest call I 
ever had. Nothin’ can’t hurt us now.” 
Phin ended with that superstitious touch 
which the seafaring man never casts off. 

And his prophecy proved true. Two 
hours afterwards, without further scare or 
mishap, the party cast anchor in Rockport 


200 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

harbor. Phineas had brought them there 
famously, and was very proud of his feat. 
He immediately went below to prepare their 
late dinner. 

Pretty soon the fog began to lift a little, 
so the objects a few hundred feet away 
could be seen. Just at the edge of the fog- 
bank a large, rectangular box seemed to be 
adrift ; it bobbed up and down in the gentle 
swell, and showed green grass and sedge 
?llong its sides. What might such a sea- 
driven box contain ? It was enough to ex- 
cite the curiosity of any well-ordered boy. ' 
What is that, Hal ?” asked Non, point- 
ing it out eagerly. 

Perhaps it ’s something valuable. Let’s 
go and see,” said Hal. 

They jumped into the dory lightly, and 
shoved off. When they came to the box, 
they continued to wonder what it was. It 
was about six feet long and four broad, and 
built so that the sea could easily run through 


A NAKROW ESCAPE. 


201 


it. In the middle of it, on top, there was a 
cover that went on a leather hinge, and was 
fastened by a wooden button. They turned 
this cover back and looked in. 

Lobsters, I declare ! ” exclaimed Hal. 

wonder if they grow here.” 

It is n’t a lobster-pot,” explained Non, 
with authority. I know those. You haul 
them with a line from the bottom. They 
have got a buoy on the water to mark them. 
Whew! Aren’t there slews of them here?” 
He stuck the boat-hook into the large box, 
and stirred the lobsters about. 

Perhaps it is a lobster-bed,” said Hal, 
after a moment’s deliberation. He had 
heard of oyster-beds, and argued that this 
method of raising lobsters was akin to that.' 

Anyway, it ’s adrift. I guess it ’s all 
right for us to open it,” suggested Non. 
^^We will only take enough for dinner. 
There are such a lot of ’em. See them 
claw ! ” 


202 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

It was easily said and easily done. What 
a lark ! — hooking for lobsters, and forbid- 
ding them to claw in return, as they were 
landed in the dory. Absorbed in the excit- 
ing sport, the boys, not knowing, or at least 
not thinking, any better (the two things 
are not quite the same), fished delightedly 
for the first course of their dinner. 


WAS IT STEALING? 


203 


CHAPTER XL 

WAS IT STEALING? 

To do the two boys justice, we must 
make it clear that it did not occur to them 
that they were doing anything wrong when 
they took the lobsters. Lads brought up in 
the country, where every apple-orchard is 
public property, cannot understand the qual- 
ity of the offence of taking lobsters from a 
place where they have been carefully stored. 
Hal and Non thought that it was some- 
thing like gathering chestnuts from Deacon 
Jones’s favorite grove. It was a lark, an 
excellent joke, and nothing more. They 
would not have stolen for their lives. 

There seem to be slews of them,” re- 
peated Non, poking the boat-hook about the 
lobster-car. See them claw it ! I guess we 


204 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

will take four, — these small ones. Nobody 
will ever miss them. They don’t seem to 
belong to anybody anyway.” 

Won’t Phin be surprised ? ” laughed 
Hal. Boiled lobster is n’t bad. And then 
they are so fresh. We had better take an- 
other fellow, to be sure of having enough. 
Catch that one. Non ! Let him grab the 
hook, and then haul him up slowly. Is n’t 
he a beauty? Now we have got enough. 
What a mag. dinner ! Close her up, and let 
go ! ” Hal laughed merrily as he gave these 
orders. 

You Ve got enough, have ye ? I ’ll give 
ye enough before I git through with ye ! 
Now I ’ve cotched ye at last ! ” 

The boys had not noticed a dory, with 
one man in it, that had stopped and had 
watched them until they had taken the fifth 
lobster, and were ready to shove off. 

Look here ! ” continued the strange 
man, roughly, as he laid a brown hand on 


WAS IT STEALING? 


205 


the boys’ dory, and glared at them. 1 ’ve 
been layin fur two weeks fur who ’s been a 
stealin’ from my car, an’ now I cotched ye, 
I ’ll take ye up to the perlice fur an exam- 
ple. How many yer got ? Five ! Git into 
my dory, an’ come along.” He reached over 
and took Hal by the arm with a relentless 
grip. 

But we did n’t mean anything. Please 
let me go ! ” said Hal, trying to wrench him- 
self away. I did n’t know that they were 
yours or anybody’s. Take them back ! 
Here ! ” 

Ah, ye did n’t ? He, he ! Then why 
hev ye been stealin’ my lobsters fur two 
weeks fur ? ” 

^^We haven’t, have we. Non? WeVe 
just come,” explained Hal. Ow ! You 
hurt me.” 

Thet ’s a likely story. Ye kin tell that 
to the justice. Come along here^ and hurry 
lively ! ” 


206 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Expostulation and explanation were in 
vain. The fisherman who had gathered those 
lobsters, often at the peril of his life, in 
the surf ofi that rocky coast, knew that he 
had a grievance, and meant to push it to its 
utmost limit. The boys did not suspect that 
there was a severe penalty for the offence 
which they, in the careless exuberance of 
their spirits, had committed. There is a 
line which is too loosely drawn in boyhood. 
It lies between the meum and the tuum. 
Often the funniest pranks of boys at school, 
and even those of college students, are 
nothing but vulgar thefts, which youth 
itself ought not to excuse, and which, had a 
newsboy done the same, would have resulted 
in a term in the House of Correction. It is 
more than a lark, — it is stecding, to take 
grapes from another person's arbor without 
his knowledge and consent ; to walk off with 
sign-boards, or even to take lobsters from 
another’s pot. This may be a goody-goody 


WAS IT STEALING? 207 

truism, but it is not too old to mention 
again, for in the stern eyes of the law, lar- 
ceny, of whatsoever kind, committed for 
whatsoever cause and at whatsoever age, 
is a penitentiary offence. 

Hal and Non had for the first time in 
their lives stumbled into the power of a 
police court, and at a place where no in- 
fluence could save them. They were ar- 
rested by one who had no leniency for a 
prank because it was committed by a boy. 
It was, the rather, a good time, the old 
fisherman thought, to check these youths, 
midway, and forcibly, in their depraved ca- 
reer. The owner of the lobster-car, as he 
compelled the boys to enter his unsavory 
dory, felt that he was performing a good 
service to the community in stopping the 
aggravating series of petty thefts to which 
he and others had been so long exposed. 
That he had caught the wrong boys never 
once entered his head. Why should it ? 


208 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

^^You are not going to take ns to the 
police station, are you ? ” pleaded Hal, in 
a humble tone. Please take us to the 
yacht. We have just come in on the 
^ Kittiewink/ We had a very narrow 
escape in the fog. It’s over there!” 

Before he spoke, the fog had set in thicker 
than ever, and had completely obscured the 
Kittiewink.” In their eagerness, Hal and 
Non pointed to the wrong place. They were 
so earnest in their attempts to convince their 
captor, that he rowed in the direction to 
which they pointed for a few minutes. He 
did so, grumbling. 

It ought to be here. Oh, Phin 1 Phin !” 
But the thick fog did not carry to their 
skipper, busy over pots and kettles, the 
agonized voices. The lobster man returned, 
swearing. 

You boys are a bad lot. You can’t fool 
me no more. Ye kin tell the justice about 
yer yacht.” 


WAS IT STEALING? 209 

With this he turned his boat and rowed 
surlily toward the town, towing Hal’s dory 
behind. The two boys sat and looked at each 
other in consternation. This was about two 
o’clock in the afternoon, and they had eaten 
nothing since breakfast. 

What can we do ? ” whispered Non to Hal. 
Tears were rising to his. eyes. This was 
worse than shipwreck. What w^ould Dr. 
Plaster say to this disgrace ? How could 
Mrs. Maynot bear it ? Why was not Phin 
there to protect them ? What a terrible dis- 
honor was this, to be arrested for stealing,! 

Don’t ye be a whisperin’ now, ye young 
villains 1 ” ejaculated the lobster-man. Ye 
can keep it fur the jedge.” 

Oh, don’t take us there I It will kill 
Mother ! ” Hal, big boy as he was, now 
burst into tears. The picture of his mother 
pleading for him in the police court was too 
much for him. We did n’t mean any 

harm, — truly we did n’t. W e thought you 
14 


210 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

could take them like apples at home. We 
never took a lobster before. We never saw 
Rockport before ; we never want to again. 
Please let us go. We ’ll pay for them, 
twice over, and glad to.” 

But the fisherman’s heart hardened within 
him. He had caught them at it, and he had 
made up his mind to punish the first fellow 
he found meddling with his car. In this he 
was right. 

At last the dory grated against the stone 
pier. The gray granite, streaked faintly 
with iron-rust, seemed forbidding to the two 
boys. IIovv inhospitable these huge blocks 
looked ! If only one could topple over and 
crush them, they felt that it would be better 
than being sent to prison. Hal remembered 
copying, about fifty times in his copy-book 
at school, Death is better than disgrace.” 
He now began to understand what the senti- 
ment meant. 

Come along, my little thieves,” said the 


WAS IT STEALING? 


211 


lobster-man, as he clambered up and held the 
painters of the two dories. 

We are not thieves I ” Hal stamped the 
granite coast, pale with the insult. 

Tell that to the jedge, young feller ! 
As I cotched ye at it, it will go pretty hard. 
Six months, mebbe a year.’’ 

Tremblingly the boys scrambled up. The 
man roughly took each by the arm. 

Ouch ! We 11 come,” screamed Non. 
Let me go ! ” 

Not by a jug-full, me splutterin’ thief ! ” 
He clutched them all the tighter, and for 
very shame they hung their heads and 
walked along. It seemed to do the old 
man good to call them thieves. 

Wha’ che got there, Mose ? ” asked a 
hand on the fish-wharf. 

Two young uns I cotched hookin’ lob- 
sters from my car. I ’ve been lay in fur ’em 
fur two weeks. D’ ye know ’em ? ” 

The word spread among the hands rapidly. 


212 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

In a moment the boys were surrounded by a 
dozen curious and booting men. 

Maybe them ’s boarder boys/’ suggested 

one. 

^^Tbey aint well enough dressed/’ an- 
swered another. 

They look mighty mean/’ commented a 
third. 

Look out^ they ’re goin’ to run from ye, 
Mose ! ” 

‘‘Hang on to ^em sharp ! ” 

“ You ’ll steal again, will ye ? ” 
Broken-hearted, silent, w^eeping, fright- 
ened, angry, and outraged, the two boys 
listened to these taunts. What had they to 
say ? Deny ? They could not. The five 
lobsters which the crowd passed around con- 
demned them. Who would believe the in- 
nocence of their hearts ? By the time they 
came to the police station, there must have 
been twenty men and as many boys in their 
wake. Mose was proud of himself, and of 


WAS IT STEALING? 215“ 

the attention he attracted. He rehearsed 
the details of his capture over and over 
again, as one loafer after another joined 
him. It was an eventful day for Rockport. 

An’ look at ’em/’ he invariably ended ; 
the innercent airs they ’s a puttin’ on, 
when I cotched them at it, high-handed, 
with five in the dory an’ jiggin’ fur more.” 

Now it happened that the justice was 
away, and would not be back until three 
o’clock. With alacrity, a policeman took 
Hal and Non by the shoulders and shoved 
them up some high steps and into a narrow 
room with grated windows ; then he locked 
the door. The crowd without laughed and 
congratulated and commented, and gradually 
dispersed, promising themselves the pleasure 
of returning at four to see how the justice 
would handle this case. The boys were left 
to themselves in the town cell, the saddest 
creatures in the whole State. How could 
they get word to Mrs. Maynot? How to 


214 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Phin ? They called, — no one answered. 
They cried aloud, — a voice told them to 
shut up. Only an old pitcher half full of 
tepid water and a cracked glass were there 
to relieve their hunger and thirst. The sin- 
stained and the tobacco-reeking cell had a 
strong effect upon these sensitive natures. 
How many innocent prisoners have been 
tainted by such thoughtless and harsh treat- 
ment ! Sobbing, distrustful of themselves 
and of all the world, the boys threw them- 
selves upon the hacked bench. Then fol- 
lowed the sullen despair, which is so apt to 
take possession of the heart of a misunder- 
stood and wronged lad. 

I guess we must be very wicked,” said 
Hal, after a moody silence. I did n’t 
know we were.” 

^^We aint any wickeder than the feller, 
that took us up, anyway,” answered Non, 
decisively, much to the surprise of his 
companion. 


WAS IT STEALING? 


215 


He ought to be chopped into little pieces 
and cooked into a chowder,” blurted Hal, 
gloomily. 

But even this vigorous sentiment did not 
unlock their prison door. 

wonder what all that crowd means, 
Louise,” asked Mrs. May not, as she 
watched an incoherent mass of hooting 
humanity disappearing around the corner. 
By her side stood a tall, beautiful girl of 
sixteen. 

Perhaps it ’s some game, or a big cod,” 
answered the girl, in an idle way. In her 
limited experience she knew of nothing but 
baseball, a piece of granite, or a fish that 
could move Rockport to such a state of 
exhilaration. Besides, she was thinking 
of the fog, of the boys, and of the 
‘‘ Kittiewink.” 

I do hope the boys have n’t started,” 
said Mrs. Maynot, continuing the former 


216 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

conversation. I am sure that Phineas is 
too careful. I have a great respect for 
Phin.” 

They were interrupted at this moment by 
a small boy, who Tushed up to the piazza 
excitedly. 

^‘Why, Mortimer! What is the matter, 
child ? ” asked his mother, a summer lady, 
starting up from another part of the 
piazza. 

Oh, it ’s such fun 1 ” shouted the boy. 

They Ve caught two little thieves, and are 
taking them to the lock-up. I saw them, I 
did. They looked awful wicked. They 
caught ’em at it, a feller said.” 

How dreadful 1 ” cried the chorus of 
well-bred ladies. 

I ’m going to the trial. They say it is 
at four,” continued the small boy. May n’t 
I go. Mamma ? ” 

^^How can you w^ant to go to such a 
wicked place, Mortimer, my dear?” 


WAS IT STEALING? 217 

But it would be such fun ! ” insisted the 
child. 

Now, Mrs. Maynot was as tender-hearted 
as she was timid, and as benevolent as she 
was maternal. In her own village of Sweet 
Fern, and beyond it, she had done a noble, 
unselfish work among the poor and wicked. 
Her heart was immediately touched by this 
account. Although she was a stranger, it 
was her instinct to take the case upon her 
own shoulders, and especially because it 
concerned boys. Who knew what influence 
she might have, — what life she might pos- 
sibly turn to good and usefulness ? So she 
said, — 

We are not doing anything. I think I 
will hunt up the jail, and have a talk with 
those children. I suppose they must be 
very wild. Perhaps I can help a little. 
Would you like to come, Louise ? ” For she 
thought that perhaps the sight of that pure 
face might do those poor boya more good 
than any of her sermons. 


218 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

How many summer boarders take the 
trouble to interest themselves in the poor 
and the vicious of the place which they 
choose for their vacation home ? Not so 
many that Mrs. May not’ s visit to the police 
court did not excite remark at the boarding- 
house ; and the lady who was mother to the 
boy Mortimer thought she would go too, — 
it would be quite a novelty, she said. But 
Louise Concord could not go. A telegram 
from her mother had called her to Penny- 
lunkport, suddenly ; and her trunks were 
packed for the four o’clock train. 

I will see that you get there in time,” 
said Mrs. Maynot, consulting her watch. 
^^It is only a little after two, now. That 
will give us an hour with the poor little 
thieves.” 

“It wouldn’t do for me to miss the train,” 
said Louise, doubtfully, “ Mother worries so. 
I think I ’d better not try.” 

“ I ’m afraid you can’t see the boys. 


WAS IT STEALING? 


219 


ma’am/’ said the policeman, politely, with- 
out an order from his Honor. Be you any- 
thing to them ? ” 

Oh, no. I only wished to talk to them, 
and see if I could help them,” said Mrs. 
Maynot, greatly disappointed. 

They ’re pretty hard cases. They ’ve 
been yellin’ and screamin’. I don’t believe 
you could do them no good. The justice 
will be here about four, and then they ’ll 
come up,” returned the policeman. 

Well, I am sorry,” sighed Mrs. Maynot. 

I will see you off to your train, Louise, 
and then come back. I have n’t anything 
in particular to do. My boys are not here, 
and I must not give these poor creatures up 
so easily.” 

What a nice lady ! ” ejaculated the 
policeman to himself, as the visitors reluc- 
tantly walked away. 


220 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


CHAPTER XII. 

THE LAW AND THE LOBSTER. 

When Phineas Scrod came up on deck to 
call the boys to dinner, they had utterly 
disappeared, and what is more, their dory 
had disappeared with them. Phineas was 
at a dead loss. What could he do in this 
dense fog without a dory ? He waited half 
an hour, and still they did not turn up. 
Evidently they had gone out rowing, and 
had lost themselves. But as the harbor is 
so very small, and the entrance so narrow, 
Phin did not begin by worrying. Still, after 
an hour he began to be very much troubled. 
Rockport was an old stamping-ground of 
his. He had fished out of there five years 
in his youth, and he knew every inch of 
the harbor, the town, and almost all of its 


THE LAW AND THE LOBSTER. 221 

fishing inhabitants. At last he could^ stand 
it no longer. He put up the main-sail, 
slipped the anchor, which he could not 
hoist alone, tied a buoy to the cable so as 
to find it again, and sailed to the wharves. 
It was about four o’clock when he tied up 
to a stone pier and climbed ashore. The 
first thing he did was to inquire for the 
boys from the men who were fishing upon 
the wharf. 

^^We haint seen yer boys, Cap’n,” said 
one, with a kind of attempt at comfort. 

Maybe they ’ve landed on the beach. But 
we seen two youngsters hauled up fur stealin’ 
lobsters from Mose Clawson’s car. They ’re 
in the police station now. There ’s the dory 
they come in, way down there.” 

Phineas glanced at the dory curiously, 
and started with a muttered exclamation, 
for he recognized it as the tender of the 

Kittiewink.” He was about to say that 
those were his boys, when he remembered 


222 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWIXK. 

that it would not redound to the glory of 
the boatj or to his master or himself, to 
acknowledge any connection with a lobster 
steal.” Therefore he choked his exclama- 
tion just in time. 

Did you say it were Mose Clawson’s ? ” 

Ay, ay ! ” came the ready answer. 

Old Mose ? ” asked Phin. 

Yes, the old man. Young Mose was lost 
two year ago in the ^ Saucy Loo.’ Wan’t 
that the time ? ” turning to the crowd for 
confirmation. A mournful nod was the 
general response. 

But Phineas did not wait for any .more 
information ; he had more than enough as 
it was. When he turned the corner he 
started on a run, if his waddling jog could 
be called a run, to the police station. 

Them danged boys hev been monkeyin’ 
with the car fur the fun of it, an’ hev been 
ketched. If I git there in time, I guess 1 
kin ontackle ’em ; but if I don’t, I ’ll bet 
they ’re goners.” 


THE LAW AND THE LOBSTER. 223 

In a few minutes he burst into the crowded 
police-court, breathless and determined. 

Now, young men, what have you to say 
for yourselves ? 

The justice, a kindly, square-cut man, 
who had once been a foreman in the granite 
quarry, lifted up his spectacles and looked 
severely at the two lads on the other side 
of the railing. The Rockport court-room 
was crammed. The depredations on differ- 
ent lobster-cars had been the talk of the 
fishing section of the community for some 
weeks. This was as exciting as if mackerel 
had struck off the coast. Opposite to the 
justice stood the boys’ accuser. In a basket 
on the table the five condemning lobsters 
were snugly laid. The poor things were 
dying slowly, the least regarded victims of 
this unlucky escapade. 

Before either of the boys could summon 
courage to face this uncompromising crowd. 


224 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KlTTIEWlNK. 

or even to answer intelligibly for themselves, 
a shriek startled the court. A feminine form 
flung itself past the staring crowd, past the 
startled lobster-man, and descended upon the 
neck of the taller of the two boys. 

Oh, my son ! my son ! my innocent, out- 
raged son ! what does this mean ? ” 

Hal, who had prayed that his mother 
might come to his deliverance, now when 
she did come, shrank back abashed. He 
was innocent and he was guilty ; and in 
so far as he was guilty, he hardly dared to 
look his mother in the face. 

Stand aside, madam ! ’’ said the justice, 
courteously, when the first flurry of recog- 
nition was over. We are in the midst of 
important evidence and valuable testimony. 
I shall have to interrogate you next if you 
presume to be the mother of the prisoners at. 
the bar.” 

The eloquence of the justice was much 
thought of in the town, and inevitably 


THE LAW AND THE LOBSTER. 225 

commanded a respectful hearing. A stir 
followed his remark. 

^^Sir, this is my son. You have made 
a mistake. He has n’t done anything. I 
demand that he be released immediately.” 

Mrs. Maynot, made brave by the rights 
of maternal protection, faced the justice 
unflinchingly, and flashed her demand at 
the court as if she were an empress. 

But I cotched him a-takin’ of ’em 
Thar they be!'' Mose Clawson pointed in 
a shamefaced way at the basket and the 
unlucky lobsters. He felt uncomfortable 
before this fine lady. 

Harry, my son,” — Mrs. Maynot turned 
upon her first and only born a look of utter ' 
confidence, — tell them it is a vile slander. 
You did not take these lobsters, did you ? 

The people craned their heads to listen. 
Instead of the word of innocence which the 
lady expected, her own Hal flushed, and 
evaded her gaze. 


15 


226 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

— that is — I didn’t mean to/’ he 
stammered. If ever a thief looked guilty 
he did. 

I think the law had better take its 
course/’ said the justice, tenderly. 

Why, Harry ! Harry, my boy, what do 
you mean?” pleaded Mrs. Maynot, gently, 
as if she were reasoning with an insane 
person. That the dreadful charge might 
be true never occurred to the poor woman. 
She repeated : Say you did n’t, Harry,” in 
a tender voice. 

The rough crowd were moved ; even the 
justice winked. But law was law, and 
lobsters were lobsters, and the two facts 
confronted each other hopelessly. 

Avast there ! ” shouted a stentorian 
wheeze. Puffing and blowing, Phineas 
Scrod plunged up to the bar of justice 
as if he were about to jump from a spring- 
board into ten feet of water. 

Wagh ! wagh ! wagh ! Yeiough ! ” 


THE LAW AND THE LOBSTER. 227 

Sharp, staccato barks at the same instant 
pierced the court-room. 

The whole court turned at the unseemly 
duet. Hal and Non gave a mutual start, 
and arose from their seats. Mrs. Maynot 
greeted the two interrupters with a cry 
of joy. 

I ’ll be blowed if the pup haint followed 
me unbeknownst,” thought Phin, excitedly, 
as he ploughed through the crowd ; then he 
forgot Trot entirely. 

Them did n’t steal no lobsters, yer 
Honor,” cried Phin, bringing his fist down 
with such a bang upon the table that the 
lobsters hopped as if they were quite alive 
again. What are ye all thinkin’ on ? Why, 
Mose, me old mate,” said Phin, holding out 
his hand in affected surprise, don’t ye rik- 
leckt Phin Scrod, who saved ye that mornin’ 
on George’s ? Them ’s my boys, them are. 
Thet’s their ma. Their pa’s are the first 
citizens in Sweet Fern. D’ye think, yer 


228 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Honor, thet a gentleman would steal lob- 
sters? I cal’late not. I came ashore to 
pay fur 'em. I pay all the bills, I do, an’ 
I find my boys, my hoys, dragged off their 
innercent yacht into the perlice station of 
old Rockport, my old home. Thet ain’t 
friendly of you, Mose; is it, mates?” Phin 
turned to the court-room full of faces that 
at his impassioned words had undergone an 
easy change of sympathy. These honest 
fishermen could understand the arguments 
of one of their own kind. A low ^^no” 
thrilled through the room. 

How much do them small lobsters come 
to?” asked Phin, following up his advan- 
tage, and weighing one lobster after another 
in his hand critically. Two cents apiece, 
or three? They aint fit fur nothin’ but 
bait, noway.” 

Nothin’,” said Mose Clawson, uncom- 
fortably enough. I did n’t understand the 
case. I thought they wus the chaps who ’se 
a ben stealin’ these two weeks.” 


THE LAW AND THE LOBSTER. 229 

As we jess come in in the fog two hours 
ago, I rather think yer all off,” said Phin, 
sternly. Did n’t they tell ye on it ? ” 

Ye-s,” admitted the man, slowly ; but 
I thought — ” 

‘‘ Do you mean to push this charge any 
further, Mr. Clawson ? ” interrupted the 
justice, benignly. Then, as if to giye Mose 
time to think about it, he added, I must 
call this irrelevant court to order.” 

No, no, yer Honor,” spoke up Mose 
Clawson, feeling that he, if any one, was 
the guilty party : I give ’em the lobsters, 
an’ more, if they want ’em.” 

This generous sentiment was warmly 
applauded. 

Then the prisoners are discharged,” said 
the justice, decidedly, rising from his honor- 
able chair. 

I thought it was just like — well, like — 
picking huckleberries,” spoke up Hal, loudly, 
anxious at the last moment to polish up his 


230 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

sullied name. The crowd laughed at this, 
and somebody cheered ; the boys were sur- 
rounded, and then the court-room began to 
thin out gradually. 

I never saw a green lobster before,’’ 
said a summer boarder. It was she who 
was the mother of the boy Mortimer, 
and who had accompanied her teasing son 
and Mrs. May not to this den of destruc- 
tion. “ It seems to be a new kind. Ours 
in Brooklyn are always red,” she added 
distinctly. 

In the roar that followed this observa- 
tion the summer lady, a little frightened, 
hurried herself and her idol out of the 
court-room. 

Just then there came a shrill yell, fol- 
lowed by a succession of terrible shrieks 
from the prisoner’s bar. The hum of ex- 
planation and the bustle of departure sud- 
denly ceased. All eyes were turned to the 
bar of justice. What would come next ? 


THE LAW AND THE LOBSTER. 231 

There upon the table was Trot (and how he 
came there nobody could tell ; he had been 
unnoticed for once in his life), yelling and 
waltzing madly. What was supposed to be 
a dead lobster was firmly attached by one 
claw to the dog’s ear, and reaching with its 
second nipper for some other convenient 
spot on Trot’s anatomy. The more the dog 
danced, the closer the creature clung ; and 
the closer he clung, the louder his victim 
howled. Poor Trot was never so frightened 
in all his eventful life. 

Mose Clawson, who in a dazed way was 
telling Phin all about it, now jumped to the 
rescue. He knew very little about strange 
dogs, but much about his own lobsters. He 
seized his property deftly by the back, and 
lifted it in the air. To his consternation, 
the terrier came too. Mrs. Maynot and 
Hal, thinking this a wanton piece of cruelty 
towards their pet, and perhaps a deep-laid 
conspiracy, dashed forward to do soipething. 


232 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

But the lobster-man, seeing that this was 
his only chance to retrieve himself in the 
eyes of his wronged mate and of the boy’s 
mother, grasped the offending claw in his 
two hands and tore it forcibly apart. With 
a final squeal Trot fied into his master’s 
arms for comfort, and stayed there the rest 
of the afternoon. Thus it happened, as it 
so often does in the great world, that sen- 
tence was passed and executed, but upon 
the innocent ; and the unlucky lobsters had 
their revenge. 

While Mrs. May not was insisting upon 
the smallest particulars of the boys’ adven- 
ture, and Hal was doing his best to satisfy 
her. Non interrupted his companion’s nar- 
rative. He had stood it as long as he 
could. 

I hope Louise Concord won’t know. I 
don’t see her. Where is she?” 

Her mother has just telegraphed for 
her to go to Kennylunkport. She has not 


THE LAW AND THE LOBSTEK. 233 

been gone half an hour/’ answered Mrs. 
Maynot. 

Non heaved a sigh of relief. He felt that 
he could not bear to fall in any degree in 
the estimation of that beautiful girl. He 
had rather chase her and miss her in this 
aggravating way, over the New England 
coast, all summer. 

^^It^s too bad,” said Hal, emphatically. 

I should have liked to take her out to 
sail.” Hal now began to feel himself much 
abused, and was ready for consolation from 
any source, even from a pretty cousin. 

Please don’t tell her,” pleaded Non, 
timidly. \ never was in prison before.” 

Of course I won’t, you foolish boy. No- 
body shall know,” said Mrs. Maynot, patting 
his arm. 

I will,” said Hal, mischievously. 

If you do, I ’ll fight you, Harry Maynot, 
and never speak to you again ! ” flashed 
Non, squaring off. 


234 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

But Phineas spoiled this possible quarrel^ 
by saying forcibly : You youngsters had 
better leave the per visioning of the boat to 
me, arter this. If it had n’t been me old 
mate, ye ’d have been dished.” Good humor 
beamed from every wrinkle on his face. He 
was delighted at the happy ending of what 
had promised to be a very serious escapade. 

I guess ye ’d better ask permission when ye 
want anything thet don’t belong to 3 ^e, arter 
this,” added Phin, with a light voice and a 
grave look. 

^Ht all comes from yachting,” sighed Mrs. 
Maynot ; sailing has a very deleterious 
effect.” 

At this, Phineas Scrod bowed assentingly. 
Mose Clawson, seeing his old mate nod, 
bowed with a grave inclination, too. Neither 
6i them knew just what kind of an effect 
she meant, but they felt that the sentiment 
had a market value. 

With gracious tact Mrs. Maynot changed 


THE LAW AND THE LOBSTEK. ^ 235 

tlie subject as they walked along to her 
boarding-house. She said it was the only 
one in town that was not full. But the 
landlady’s daughter was forty-five, so 
Hal regarded this boarding-house without 
enthusiasm. 


236 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

ADRIFT. 

If yer ma is goin’ hum to-day, the wind 
is from the nor’ard, the fog is all blown out 
to sea, and we’d better start by nine an’ 
make a reach right down to Marblehead.” 

Phin disguised as well as he could his 
impatience to get back to their starting- 
place. There he felt secure. With his boys 
under his sole authority, untroubled by a 
mother’s natural but none tl^e less unintelli- 
gent worry, he felt sure that the rest of the 
summer would prove uneventful and safe. 
Would that he never saw Squam River or 
Rockport again! They are pretty places, 
and have nothing the matter with them; 
but they had been unfortunate for Phin. 
To have been all but sent to the bottom in 


ADRIFT. 


237 


a fog, and barely to have escaped the 
clutches of Concord Reformatory, was enough 
for one summer. Marblehead was the scene 
of the Kittiewink’s '' glory ; there he and 
his were respected, and there his heart 
yearned to be. 

When Mrs. Maynot heard their decision 
her heart sank. She felt as if away from 
her protection the boys would go to their 
graves. But her solicitude yielded to good- 
sense, and she made no trouble in the 
matter. Her little outing was already over. 
She had improved it to the best of her 
ability; and although a few mishaps had 
occurred under her nautical administration, 
she was sure she had saved her boys from 
worse, and that the balance was well in her 
favor. The boys did not dispute her, for 
they were too eager to be up and off. The 
exhilarating breeze called them, and the 
prospect of an unchaperoned sail hurried 
them away. Good-bys, tears, advice, and 


238 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

all necessary adjuncts of departure were cut 
short by Hal’s impatience. Phin had not 
come. He sent word that he had the deck 
to swab down. He dared not face those last 
moments. 

You will mind Phin, will you not, Hal, 
my dear ? ” Mrs. May not repeated this 
several times as the boys were getting into 
their dory. 

Oh, yes, yes. Mother ! of course I 
will.” 

And you won’t put up too much cloth ? 
Don’t put up that high sail at the top of the 
mast, to please your Mother ! ” 

^^The gaff top-sail?” asked Hal, with a 
touch of mannish superiority. ^^You don’t 
understand sails. Mother. Phin says it is 
necessary for running down.” 

suppose I must bear it then,” sighed 
Mrs. Maynot. At any rate you will be care- 
ful. Remember that you are not very strong. 
Non, you see that Hal doesn’t over-exert 


ADRIFT. 


239 


himself ! Don't pull too many lines. Above 
allj have plenty to eat. Good-by, dear! 
Good-by 1 " 

The mother's white handkerchief fluttered 
sadly from the grim stone-pier, even after 
the Kittiewink " had made her westward 
turn around the headland out of sight. 

That evening the boys took supper at the 
Neptune Club. This was a rare luxury, that 
could be indulged in only on occasions. It 
was the first time they had been at the Club 
since that memorable yacht-race, and they 
both craved the recognition that they felt 
was due them. They were not disappointed. 
The Club was full, and the talk was of noth- 
ing but boats. Go Gresham was there, and 
introduced his friends to the leading Nep- 
tune yachtsmen. As it happened, a club- 
race had not been sailed since that great 
occasion, and it was still interesting to talk 
over the performance of the Kittiewink." 
She was praised to Hal's content. Her 


240 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

ability and speed in rough weather had evi- 
dently made quite an impression upon the 
fitful yachting memory. When Hal and 
Non received an invitation from the owner 
of the famous Bazoon ” to assist in a forty- 
footer race the following week, their cup of 
pride was filled to overflowing. 

It was late when they reluctantly made 
their way down the club-landing to their 
own dory. Both strutted a little, it is to be 
feared, even in the dark. The night was 
black as jet. A fine drizzle was falling 
softly. Lights flickered feebly from the 
yachts in the harbor. 

^^Jump in!'' said Hal. ^H’ll shove her 
ofi. You row this time. That 's the ^ Kittie- 
wink.' " 

Hal unfastened the painter, leaped lightly 
after his friend, and gave the dory a push 
from the club float. The wind, as usual, 
had changed. The tide was running out. 
Tinkle! Tinkle! From ship to ship the 


ADRIFT. 


241 


bells sounded faintly, as if muffled in the 
mist. Each bell struck six times. 

Eleven o’clock ! ” said Hal, with a sense 
of importance in recognizing the sailor’s 
method of computing time. Hurry up! 
Why don’t you row?” 

can’t find any oars,” answered Non, 
groping from one side to the other. 

The two boys searched the boat. No oars ! 
Impossible ! Gone ! Without oars ! Adrift 1 
It was too true. They were afloat with 
nothing to propel their boat. The dory 
began to drift slowly away from the land- 
ing. The boys did not realize at first what 
the situation meant. They were too inex- 
perienced to guess that oars, though laid 
ever so carefully on the solid thwarts, might 
be borrowed ” by some unscrupulous prow- 
ler about the harbor. 

What shall we do ? ” asked Non, uncon- 
cernedly. It seemed so easy to get ashore 
in some way. 


16 


242 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Holler, I guess/' said Hal, after some 
leisurely thought. 

He illustrated his suggestion by a loud 
call. Non joined in with a shrill cry ; but 
the air was thick, and they had already 
drifted a good distance. The sound fell 
back deadened. 

Howl ! " said Hal, hopefully. 

They howled a great deal, and when they 
had done howling they began again. The 
harbor was full of yachts, but none an- 
swered the startled boys. 

Yell ! " commanded Captain Hal. 

This time a thunderous shriek was the 
result. 

Shut up your noise ! " answered a voice, 
from a boat not far away. 

But we 're drifting out ! " shrieked 

Hal. 

You can’t fool me ! Go to bed 1 ” came 
back the sneering answer. 

“ But we 've lost our oars ! We 're adrift ! ” 


ADRIFT. 


243 


You Ve lost your head ! ’’ called a sleepy 
sailor. 

There ’s Trot ! said Hal, suddenly. I 
hear him bark. Trot ! Phineas ! Phin ! Phin 
Scrod ! ^ Kittiewink ’ ahoy ! We ’re drifting 
o-ut ! ” 

The cries of the boys smote fainter and 
fainter upon the waters of Marblehead Har- 
bor. They stopped for very fright. 

^^We are going out to sea!” sobbed 
Non. 

Why, we can’t go out to sea 1 ” expostu- 
lated Hal. 

But Non was right. The inexorable tide, 
more relentless than the storied polyp of the 
Scandinavian shore, had dragged the un- 
manageable dory beyond the headland. 

There are few experiences more terrible, 
than being adrift in an open boat in an 
open sea. Now and then the newspapers 
record the picking up of an emaciated fish- 
erman by a passing vessel, barely in time 


244 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

to save his life, — sometimes too late ; and 
always there is a sad story of pain and 
privation. But if one must be cast adrift, 
there is nothing better than a Swampscott 
dory for such a purpose. Our two boys 
were in such a boat; it was thirteen feet 
long, and had a flat bottom, from which its 
sides flared outward. The dory was one of 
the best of its kind. Phin had chosen it. 
In a very high sea, to the experienced sailor, 
the dory is almost as safe as any craft afloat. 
A dory, as the saying runs, can sail in a 
dewdrop or in a nor’easter.’’ But a dory 
without oars ! 

Fear had cowed the boys, and they 
crouched side by side on the grating at 
the bottom. Hal held Non by the hand, 
while Non rested one arm on Hal’s shoulder. 
At first neither spoke. It seemed hours to 
them since they had floated off, yet it was 
scarcely ten minutes. 

Let ’s give one more yell ! ” urged Hal. 


ADRIFT. 


245 


I guess we can fetch ’em this time. They 
must hear us ! ” 

I can’t ! ” sobbed Non. It ’s too 
terrible ! ” 

The boy put his head on the seat and 
shut his teeth tightly to stifle his tears. He 
was ashamed of himself ; but many a man 
in no worse position has yielded more 
weakly to his fears. 

’ll try now/’ Non chattered, after a 
few more brave gulps. 

They stood up in the dory, two helpless 
waifs, clinging to each other, and shouted 
and hallooed until a rough swell toppled 
them over. Then they sank, exhausted 
and terrified, upon the dory’s bottom, 
and clasped each other for comfort and 
warmth. 

It seems strange that no one on board the 

Kittiewink ” had heard their cries. Skip- 
per Scrod was expecting them ; but being 
tired with his day’s work, he had gone 


246 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

below, and there fallen into a doze. The 
wind carried the agonizing shouts in the 
opposite direction; the denseness of the 
atmosphere deadened the sound, and per- 
haps fright had changed the tones of the 
familiar voices. Phin slept on and heard 
no shrieks. 

But Trot paced the deck restlessly. 
The little shaggy dog, no larger than a 
good-sized cat, felt the responsibility of his 
position. He was on duty. Trot was the 
watch ’’ of the Kittiewink.” Now and 
then, when thoughts of his master crossed 
his mind, he gave little yelps ; but when he 
heard the sound of oars, he listened atten- 
tively. If the voices were unfamiliar he 
barked loudly. Phin was quite accustomed 
to hearing Trot’s voice on all occasions. 
The later it grew, the more impatient was 
Trot. He ran to and fro along the deck, 
and peered eagerly through the gloom. 
Suddenly he heard a cry. Trot stood atten- 


ADRIFT. 


247 


tively. The cry was followed by another. 
Was it his master’s voice ? Trot whined, 
and hopped about in his excitement. An- 
other shout, penetrating through the mist, 
settled his conviction. He now yelped 
madly. Why did the skipper not wake ? 
Another cry ! Whether Trot thought it a 
summons, or whether he had an instinct for 
rescue, who knows ? Who can interpret 
a dog ? The terrier jumped into the water, 
and with gurgling yelps disappeared. 

One would have thought that his nar- 
row escape at the club races would have 
warned this courageous little fellow of the 
madness of his feat. But, like all dogs that 
do a wild thing successfully, he supposed 
that he would be taken care of, — would 
of course be picked up, as he was before. 
Men might sink, — inferior things ! — but it 
was clear that dogs came out all right 
somehow. 

Paddling with all his might. Trot followed 


248 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

his master s voice, which in the drizzle had 
entirely died away to human ears. 

Help ! Help ! ” Hal gave one more 
desperate shriek. 

Yap, yap ! Aiow — ow ! gurgled the 
swimming dog. 

What ’s that. Non? ” The boys listened, 
with heads close together. 

Help ! Hal made one more mighty 
effort. It took his last bit of courage and 
strength. 

Yap, yap, yap ! It ’s your little chap ! ” 
came the response, this time in unmistakable 
tones. 

It is Trot! ” cried Hal, joyously. He’s 
followed us. There, Trot 1 Good dog, 
sir 1 ” 

The recognition was mutual. Trot barked 
as furiously as he could, with his mouth full 
of salt water. In a very few minutes the 
little dog had overtaken the dory, and was 
lifted, just as he expected to be, from the 


ADRIFT. 


249 


cold water into his master’s cuddling arms. 
But this time the comfort was all the other 
way. The boys felt that they were not 
deserted. With Trot, there seemed to come 
a message from home, courage, cheer, and 
company. They patted Trot, and kissed 
him and blessed him, and took heart to look 
their situation sensibly in the face. Trot 
occupied himself in lapping the eyes and 
ears of the two boys with his moist tongue, 
and conscientiously shook himself in their 
faces. Even this salt shower comforted 
Hal, who, still feeling the responsibility of 
captaincy, said, — 

I don’t suppose it ’s any use to holler 
any more.” Then, after a little hesitation, 
he went on: ^^Say, Non, old fellow, do 
you think we are going to die ? It ’s cold 
enough, and dark enough too.” 

Non did not trust himself to answer. He 
thought of his home, of his father and 
brothers. He could not speak just then. 


250 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

The boys were hushed with the solemnity 
of their danger. What good could talking 
do ? Already they had drifted beyond Mar- 
blehead Point. The tide took the light 
dory between Cat Island and the Beacon 
in a straight course for Tinker’s Ledge. 
The wind breezed up westerly, and pushed 
seaward upon the flaring side of the boat, 
as if it were bent upon the boys’ de- 
struction. With the rising wind, the mist 
disappeared. The sky cleared, and the 
stars shone mockingly. The steady, white 
light from the receding point glittered 
like an eye that had no pity. As the 
boys strained their eyes toward the ^impen- 
etrable horizon, they caught the twin lights 
of Baker’s Island. 

That ’s Baker’s ! ” said Hal, authorita- 
tively. He was pleased to recognize a 
friend. 

There ’s a vessel 1 ” cried Non, looking 
eagerly in the opposite direction. ^^Phin 


ADKIFT. 


251 


says they carry a red lantern at night. 
See ! Perhaps they ’ll pick us up.” 

But the red light laughed at them with 
its even, ruddy glow. Can Egg Rock light 
pick up a castaway ? 

To one at sea for the first time, on a 
clear night, off this shore bristling with 
light-houses, the sight is as exciting as it 
is dreamy. Had the boys been safe on 
some stout boat, they would have yielded 
to the romance of the situation. As it was, 
the excitement and the novelty of their 
position for the moment blinded them to 
its peril. 

^^One, two, three, four, five, — there it 
shines again! I wonder where that light 
is. Now it ’s out. Look quick 1 ” 

Non had discovered the beautiful Eastern 
Point light, whose ruby lantern flashed sym- 
pathetically upon them. 

But soon the diversion of discovery ceased. 
The boys snuggled closer together. The ex- 


252 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

perience was damp and monotonous, and it 
began to grow dreadful. The clung ^ chunk 
of the waves underneath the flat dory — a 
pleasant sound on a bright day, with oars 
in hands — terrified them now. 

Say, Non ! ” Hal resolutely interrupted 
his own gloomy thoughts. I guess Papa is 
asleep now. Your father is in bed, too, un- 
less he 's called out ; and my mother — I’m 
glad she does n’t know. Say ! Do you 
think God knows?” 

Non bowed his head reverently. ^‘Per- 
haps this is a punishment,” he ventured to 
say. Perhaps we ought n’t to have gone 
racing. T know my father would n’t have 
liked it.” 

Hal thought of his mother with a heavy 
heart. He could n’t bear to speak of her. 
But a bright thought occurred to him. It 
couldn’t have been very wrong, because we 
saved so many lives.” 

That ’s so. It turned out all right,” 


ADRIFT. 


253 


said Non. But we did n’t know we were 
going to do it. I say, Hal, do you think it 
would be the thing ^to pray ? ” 

At the last word Trot pricked up his ears. 

No ; you pray first ! ” said Hal. 

No, you ! you ’re captain ! ” 

During this little settlement of precedence 
Trot had gravely mounted the seat, and sit- 
ting on his haunches, had put his forepaws 
on the rail of the dory, and his black nose 
between his paws. He was bent in a solemn 
attitude. He had always done this at family 
prayers at home. Trot had missed the usual 
morning devotions on shipboard, and at the 
familiar sound of that sacred word he was 
glad to take his accustomed position. 

Hal watched this performance gloomily. 
He could not laugh, — it reminded him of 
home. He burst into tears. ^‘Dear God — ” 
he began. Then he broke down. You go 
on, Non,” he sobbed, can’t.’^ 

Non was much moved. can’t think 


254 THE CAPTAIN OP THE KITTIEWINK. 

what to say. Father never taught me how 
to say prayers in a place like this. — Dear 
Father/’ he began very slowly, ^^we’re two 
boys, all alone in a dory, and very dangerous. 
Help us, and save us. Amen ! ” 

Trot, released from his religious duties 
at the last word, bounded and barked 
vociferously. 

That was n’t much of a prayer,” said 
Non, apologetically ; but I guess it will 
do as well as any. I ’ve done lots better 
praying — inside. What ’s that ? ” 

He seized Hal by the arm and turned 
him about. They peered into the dark- 
ness, which was broken by a huge shadow ; 
what it was, their untrained vision could 
not at first make out. 

Suddenly the dim outlines of sails took 
shape, looming straight over them. A red 
light flashed very near. The big vessel was 
making directly for the dory, bowling along 
on the starboard tack, unconscious of the 




4 . 




Hullo ! ” — Page 255. 







ADRIFT. 


255 


little boat before her. So silently had she 
approached that the fact seemed a m3^ste- 
rions answer to the broken prayers of the 
boys. They trembled in a kind of awe. At 
first their throats could make no sound. But 
Trot had no such religious feelings, and he 
barked vigorously. However, the creaking 
of canvas, the slatting of spars, the clanking 
of chains, the swish of the parted waters, 
brought them to their senses. 

Hullo!’’ 

Bow-wow ! ” 

Ship ahoy ! ” shrieked the three in chorus. 

Hullo ! Yap-yap 1 Ahoy, there ! ” 

What ’s that ? ” came a gruff voice, quite 
clear upon the night air. 

Hold on 1 Stop ! Take us in 1 Yowl ! 
Ye-owl ! We ’re adrift ! Hold on ! ” 

Then came the moment of anxiety and 
expectation. Would the vessel pass by? 
There was a stamping of feet on board the 
big schooner, a confusion of orders, and the 


256 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

vessel shot into the wind. She had just 
missed sending the dory to the bottom. 
The jibs flapped briskly in the breeze as she 
came up, and a figure leaning far over the 
rail cried out, — 

What ’s that ? Who ’s there ? ” 

Two boys,” answered Hal. 

And a pup-yup-yup ! ” added Trot, 
u We Ve drifted ! ” said Non, appealingly. 
From where ? ” 

Marblehead.’’ 

Why donT you hurry up and row 
there ? ” 

We have n’t any oars. Do come for us.” 
What ’s the matter ? ” 

The deep voice of a new comer on deck 
was heard. 

Two young fellers adrift thar in somf’n ! 
Got no oars. Guess thar’s a pup-critter 
with ’em,” answered one of the men. We 
come very near runnin’ ’em down.” 

Heave that starb’rd dory overboard ! 


ADRIFT. 257 

What are you about there ? Jump in, two 
of you ! Shoot her up in the wind ! ” 

The captain lost no time in giving and 
executing these delightful orders. Two men 
jumped quickly. In experienced hands the 
vessel’s dory found the other deftly. The 
boys were easily transferred into a very 
fishy boat, which struck them as the sweet- 
est craft they had ever seen. A dozen will- 
ing hands lowered the tackle and hoisted 
their dory on deck. The captain himself, 
distinguished by no gold braid, but by a 
very crumpled white linen shirt, helped 
the boys out. Trot repaid this kindness by 
biting at one of the captain’s hands enthusi- 
astically, and got a good-natured cufi on the 
head for his courtesy. 

The first observation which was made by 
any one came from one of the sailors. 

What shall we do with this dory ? It ’s 
a good ’un.” 

Let her tow till morning,” answered the 
master, curtl.y. 


258 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Hal said nothing. He felt too much con- 
fused to speak. The captain and the men 
surrounded the strange lads on the raised 
deck aft. A lantern was flashed before 
them. Everybody rushed to inspect the 
new catch. 

You ’re pretty young to be foolin’ with 
the Atlantic ocean,” said one gray fisher- 
man, shaking his head solemnly. Wher’ 
d’ ye belong ? ” 

Marblehead,” said Non, quickly. 

Do you think you can get us back there 
before breakfast ? ” asked Hal, looking from 
one to the other. 

What a queer, yet good-hearted lot of men 
they were ! They reminded him of the two 
friends that Phin had brought on board for 
the race. The crew of the fisherman looked 
at one another. 

“ Git back ? ” said one, meditatively. 

Let’s tell ’em,” said another, gravely. 

They ought to know. You, Capt’n ! ” 


ADRIFT. 


259 


I should like to go back before Mother 
and Father find out,” Hal went on. My 
mother is dreadfully afraid of yachting. 
She will die if she hears.” 

The fishermen looked at one another for 
the second time, but not one spoke. 

You don’t understand, perhaps,” quav- 
ered Hal. You see, we ’ve got to get 
back. If you knew my mother, you would 
see it ’s as I say. She ’s worse about yacht- 
ing than anybody you ever saw. She and 
I — you see — ” 

Hahs voice trembled and broke. 

My lads,” interrupted the captain, lay- 
ing one hand on each boy’s arm, ^^you see 
you can’t get back to-day, nor yet ter-morrer, 
nor the next day. We ’re bound to the 
Grand Banks fur a three months’ trip ! ” 


260 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


CHAPTER XIV. 

THE WONDERFUL HAPPENS. 

Mr. and Mrs. May not sat at their break- 
fast. It was not a silent affair this morn- 
ing. They had both returned home the 
night before, and they had not yet ex- 
hausted the topic uppermost in their hearts. 

You see, dear, it was all right while I 
was with them. The boys could n’t do any- 
thing reckless,” she said, looking up at her 
husband’s face ; but now that they have 
no one to look out for them,” she continued 
with a sigh, I am afraid that they are in 
great danger.” 

Mrs. May not did her best not to worry. 
Home seemed very dull to her since Hal 
was away. To do her justice, she repressed 
many a sigh and many a tear, trying cheer- 


THE WONDERFUL HAPPENS. 261 

fully to argue herself out of her constitu- 
tional anxiety into the belief that this 
summer’s yachting would not only bring 
Hal back a live boy, but a well one. But 
she could not explain to her husband how 
she felt in this matter. How can a woman, 
whose every nerve tingles with the nameless 
apprehension for a child, which her own 
heart can barely analyze, argue with a man ? 
And yet Mrs. Maynot had an intuition that 
her husband concealed beneath a blufE man- 
ner a solicitude as keen as her own, though 
far better controlled ; that he too looked at 
any moment for the letter or telegram that 
should announce disaster. 

At any rate,” observed Mr. Maynot, 
comfortingly, they won’t race again. 
There ’s one worry cut off. I sent that 
order for your sake, my dear. Personally, 
I was proud of the ^ Kittiewink’s ’ perform- 
ance, of Phineas, and of the boys. That’s 
the way to develop manliness ! ” 


262 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

After the delivery of this bold sentiment, 
Mr. Maynot cautiously buried his head be- 
hind his morning paper. 

^^Do you think, my husband,” — this was 
the method of address which Mrs. Maynot 
adopted when she was especially severe, — 
do you think that you will see your son 
alive again if you continue to approve of 
this wicked recklessness ? I am surprised ! ” 
Mrs. Maynot’s voice trembled at the end ; 
an unobserved tear dropped into her cofEee- 
cup. Before she could wipe away the traces 
on her cheek, a stamping of feet resounded 
through the hall, and without ceremony Dr. 
Plaster rushed into the breakfast room, his 
face broad with smiles. 

Back again ?. Delighted ! I want to 
hear all about it. Haven’t a minute to 
spare ; a case of measles this time. How is 
Harry? I know Non is all right; I don’t 
bother my head about him. Go right on 
eating ! ” The doctor rattled on, seating 


THE WONDERFUL HAPPENS. 263 


himself on a chair and glancing keenly 
through his gold spectacles at Mrs. May not. 
She was about to answer when the doctor 
interrupted her. 

Yes, yes ! of course they are safe and 
well. You stole a march on the boys, I 
warrant. What a fine afiair that race was ! 
How proud you must be of your son, Mrs. 
Maynot ! You le"^ them be ! They will get 
on under Phin famously. My prescription 
works like a charm, you see. I am proud 
of it, and of the boys too ! ” 

How long the exuberant doctor would 
have gone on in praise of the boat, the 
skipper, the captain, and his own son no one 
can say ; but a violent ring at the door-bell 
interrupted him. Mr. Maynot left the room 
to answer the summons. Very soon he 
came back, his face ashy pale. 

Mrs. Maynot gave one look, and then a 
scream. Has it come ? Tell me every- 
thing ! Tell me the worst ! ” 


264 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Without a word he handed her the tele- 
gram he had just received. Although the 



message had been correctly sent, in Phin's 
handwriting it was spelled as follows : — 

Bois and Dory disapiered ; ores found Ashor. 
A Hunderd Men serchin rocks. Five Nets ar 
draging Harbor. Marblehead Yatsmen hav or- 
dered a Serch under Greshham. Come, Or telle- 
graf, imejitly. 

Phineas Scrod. 

When Hal and Non had been told by the 
captain of the Grand Banks fisherman that 


THE WONDERFUL HAPPENS. 


265 


they were bound on a trip to the Banks, 
they did not at once grasp the full meaning 
of the words. They looked from face to 
face in the group upon the deck. How far 
away were the Grand Banks ? How long 
did a trip ’’ last ? Why did not the men 
simply turn the schooner about, and take 
the boys back to their own harbor and the 

Kittiewink ” ? 

But are n’t you going to take us back. 
Captain ? ” Hal’s tone expressed great 
surprise. 

Some of the men said that the captain 
ought to take them back. There was a 
good deal of talk about it on deck. One 
good-natured fellow pleaded with the 
captain. 

We might land ’em in Gloucester, sir. 
’T won’t lose us a great many hours.” 

But the captain of the Samuel T. Wood- 
burn ” was also three-quarters owner of this 
one-hundred-and-twenty-ton Banker, and a 


266 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

few hours might mean to him a two days’ 
slant of favorable wind, a quicker trip, and 
better shares. When a fisherman once 
starts on a trip, he allows nothing to inter- 
fere with it or him. The captain shook his 
head. 

Here, young ’uns ! Go down in the cud. 
You’re safer here than ye be on shore. It ’s 
enough I ’ve saved your bones from bein’ 
picked by dog-fish. You ’ll have to go with 
us until we meet something that ’ll take you 
back, or until we fetch up to Newfoundland 
for bait. We’ll treat you first-rate, an’ 
your mother won’t know ye when ye get 
back.” 

The captain meant well. He could hardly 
understand what agony he was inflicting 
upon the parents of these reckless and luck- 
less lads. As long as they were alive, he 
reasoned, where was the harm ? The ac- 
cumulation of anguish, the terrible nights 
and days, the tortures of suspense, — these 


THE WONDERFUL HAPPENS. 267 

did not count with the skipper and owner of 
the great Banker. He was a kindly man, 
like the majority of his class ; but he, un- 
like many of his kind, did not know how 
to be tender. 

Go below, me lads ! ” he said authori- 
tatively. ‘H’ve done all I can for ye.” 

Lantern in hand, one of the crew led the 
way below. The sickening odor of fish, 
bilge-water, and stale salt stnote the boys as 
they approached the companion-way. Hal 
had begun to waver between the desire to 
get home and the fascination of a new ad- 
venture ; but this unbearable odor instantly 
dispelled the romance. Non broke his si- 
lence. He stopped and whispered a word 
to his companion. Hal nodded. 

Look here,” says Hal, we don’t want 
to go down there ! We want to go home! 
You ’ve got to take us I My father will pay 
you for the time you lose, — if you ’re 
mean enough for that.” 


268 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

The vessel was headed out toward the 
wide sea. Behind them Marblehead light 
blinked farewell. The men gathered around 
the boys. One of them ventured to urge 
the case. 

I guess he ’s good for it, Cap’n. Eastern 
P’int aint more ’n nine knot to go. You 
could land ’em on the rocks there.” 

Land us anywhere ! Please do ! ” said 
Non. 

But the captain looked doubtfully at the 
lad. ^^Will your dad pay me for my hull 
trip if I go out of my way to land you two ? ” 

Hal, not knowing that a successful trip of 
fish was sometimes worth ten thousand dol- 
lars, answered emphatically : Of course he 
will ! ” 

Will your dad pay me three thousand 
dollars for my share to set you on shore ? ” 

The men grinned. Hal was silent. 

^‘1 guess you had better go below then, 
and make yourself to home.’’ 


THE WONDERFUL HAPPENS. 269 

I won’t go ! ” Hal’s anger was roused. 
He felt that the captain was deeply wrong- 
ing them. 

Non came to Hal’s side and took his hand. 
Trot, who was now in his master’s arms, 
snarled viciously at the captain, who cubed 
him with his big hand and said, — 

Shet up, you pup ! for lack of better 
argument. 

This did not soothe Hal. We won’t go 
down in that dirty hole ! Hal exclaimed. 

You ought to take us ashore. You know 
you ought. My father will have you ar- 
rested for kidnapping us. You ’re laughing 
at us about the money. Oh, 'put us ashore ! ” 

Hal’s threatening voice gave way to this 
humble wail, and Trot, taking the mood, 
joined in with a lugubrious howl. The cap- 
tain laughed aloud. You ’ll do ! ” he said. 

Now stow away your jaw, and turn in ! ” 

A few of the crew laughed too ; but most 
of them were sympathetic. But they knew 


270 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

that it would hardly pay to try to turn 
their skipper when he had once made up his 
mind. 

You ’d better turn in/' said the man 
who had interceded for them. Perhaps 
we ’ll meet a boat to-morrow a-runnin’ in 
with a full fare, an’ we ’ll put you aboard. 
You’re all right. It’s no use to look so 
white about^ the gills.” 

Oh, thank you ! ” said Hal, tremulously. 

The boys went below, and took what 
cheerless comfort they could. A wide bunk 
had been prepared for them, where they 
could sleep together. As they left the deck 
a head- wind sprang up ; a foggy north- 
easter had set in, to hinder the passage 
of the ^^Woodburn.” It was as if the ele- 
ments entered their protest against this 
cruel proceeding. 

Hal and Non turned in sadly. Of what 
use was further appeal? Like the crew, 
they threw themselves into their hard bunk, 


THE WONDERFUL HAPPENS. 271 

and tried to sleep. It was impossible. The 
cabin light bobbed here and there, smoking, 
flaring, and rattling. The beams creaked ; 
the wind moaned above them. The night- 
mare was capped by the blasts of the fog- 
horn, blown at irregular intervals above 
during this first long night. The sails 
flapped, men tramped the decks, and muffled 
oaths penetrated below. Several times the 
boys thought the boat had been run into, 
and marvelled how the crew could sleep so 
soundly and snore so loudly. The thick 
fog swept down the open companion-way, 
and the dampness chilled them to the 
bone. 

At the first struggle of dawn, the boys, 
clasping each other, fell into a fitful doze from 
sheer exhaustion. During the day their dis- 
tress increased. Non could not get on deck ; 
he was too sick. The monotonous fog, the 
head-wind, the choppy sea, the impatient 
captain, the ceaseless toot of that anxious 


272 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

horn, their distance from home, — these and 
many other distresses combined to make the 
two more miserable even than when they 
were adrift in the dory. 

The morning of the second day brought 
a clear sky. With a horizon in view came 
hope ; but the day brought no sight of land. 
It was their first experience of the immen- 
sity of the waters. The boys were very un- 
happy. They felt that they were cut off 
from home and all the world. Trot kissed 
their faces assiduously ; but they refused to 
be comforted. 

Before breakfast a sail hove in sight ; but 
after coming nearer it stood off to the west- 
ward. During the whole morning the boys 
scanned the horizon intently. The sailors 
now began to share their eagerness. Sea- 
men are superstitious, and it had been re- 
marked that bad weather had come with the 
two lads. The captain was as ready as the 
rest now to be rid of them. So much was in 


THE WONDERFUL HAPPENS. 273 

their favor. Toward noon they sighted an- 
other vessel. 

She 's in from the Banks 1 ” cried one. 

She ’s the ^ Fredony/ ” said another, 
bound to Gloucester.’' 

No, she belongs daown East,” insisted a 
third. 

Each man clung to his opinion. Presently 
Grumpy, the sailor who had been kind to 
the boys, and who had kept quite still, 
keenly watching the advancing vessel, said 
slowly : She ’s a seiner, she is, with a full 

trip o’ mackerel from Nova Scotia.” 

The two fishing-schooners rolled toward 
each other. .It did not take long for them 
to close together. The boys eyed . the seiner 
with beating hearts. When the black stran- 
ger was quite near, there was a flurry on 
board the Woodburn ” which the boys 
could not understand. A flag had been 
hoisted on the mast of the seiner. It 
stopped and fluttered half-way up. 

18 * 


274 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

^^How many did you lose?^’ was the first 
question from the captain of the Wood- 
burn.” 

Two, off the bow while a-reefin’. ” 

The answer came mournfully, and there 
was a pause, but not a long one. The next 
question meant business. 

How many bar’l ? ” 

Two hundred A No. One, off Halifax.” 

Where are you bound ? ” 

Gloucester.” 

At this answer Hal was about to shriek. 
Take us there! ” when Grumpy restrained 
him. You jest wait ! The skipper 41 fix 
it all right.” 

I want you to take two kids in I picked 
up a-driftin’ out to Kingdom Come,” said 
the captain. 

Send ’em aboard all-fired quick, then. 
There ’s six of ’em a-comin’ after me. I ’ve 
got to make the market first. Fish is skarse 
now.” 


THE WONDERFUL HAPPENS. 275 

Before they knew what had happened, the 
boys were bundled overboard in a dory. 
Their own was given them to tow. The 
good-bys were scant; only Grumpy leaned 
over the rail and called, Good luck to ye, 
little shipmates ! ” 

Hal was too much confused to answer, but 
he waved his cap. Afterwards he remembered 
that he did not even thank Grumpy ; but at 
that moment he remembered nothing except 
that he was on a great mackerel schooner, 
homeAvard bound. The revulsion of feeling 
when they were actually speeding toward the 
land was intense. Hal and Non, very quiet, 
and feeling queer about the eyes and throat, 
took a long farewell look at the ship that 
had saved them. There was a fascination 
in seeing her spread her gray sails, and bear 
away toward an unknoAvn fate without 
them. 

It did not take the boys long to find out 
that they had fallen into good hands. A 


276 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

crew who have lost two shipmates at sea 
are apt to be considerate^ and a captain 
with a big haul is very likely to be good- 
natured. Then, too, it was thought to be 
good luck to return home with the same 
number as that with which they had started 
out. 

The next morning the boys awoke with 
land in sight. Time flew as merrily as the 
schooner. It was not yet noon. The vessel, 
with all canvas set in order to make Glouces- 
ter before night, was bowling along at an 
eight-knot gait, and now and then sending 
the spray over her weather bow. The boys, 
who were lying flat by the sharp prow, and 
who had ducked for the twentieth time to 
escape a shower-bath, espied directly in their 
course a little boat at a distance rising and 
falling in the choppy sea. 

Is she a yacht ? ” asked Non. 

One of the crew gave a critical look, and 
answered that it was no yacht, but probably 


THE WONDERFUL HAPPENS. 277 

a hand-liner off the rocks ; ’’ which meant 
that the boat’s business was fishing in shoal, 
rocky bottom for cod. 

It ’s a fishing-boat,” said Hal, uneasily, 

built like — Non ! she is built like the 
^ Kittiewink.’ ” 

Non nodded sadly, but Hal was not satis- 
fied. An unlikely thought came to him. 
He ran up and down the deck, and even 
climbed a little up the tarred rigging to get 
a better view. His first impression deep- 
ened into conviction, then into certainty. 
Hal ran to the captain excitedly. 

Is n’t that the ^ Kittiewink,’ Captain ? ” 
asked the boy. He forgot that his insignifi- 
cant boat was not the best known vessel on 
the coast. 

^^The Kittie who?'' exclaimed the be- 
wildered skipper. 

‘‘ The ^ Kittiewink.’ It is the ^ Kittie- 
wink ’ ! It ’s my boat ! I ’m captain of her. 
It ’s the ^ Kittiewink — wink ! wink ! ’ ” 


278 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Hal yelled for joy. Scrod at the 

helm ! ’’ 

Scrod ! jeered a sailor, I guess it ’s 
Halibut or Porpus!” 

Non now caught the fever. The Kittie- 
wink ! ” — there was the familiar Chinese 
bow, and the mast stepped far forward. 
There was the same patch on her main- 
sail. And when Trot, unassisted, climbed 
on top of the rail, and barked and yelped 
at the black sloop as if he were greet- 
ing his long-lost brother, there was no 
longer any doubt about it, — it loas the 
Kittiewink ” ! 

But how came the ^ Kittiewink ’ here ? ’’ 
Non demanded. 

“ I 'm sure I don’t know — ” 

Ahoy there ! Is that the ^ Molly blink ’ ? ” 
bawled the captain. 

Ay, ay ! ” screamed a well-known 
voice. Have you seen two boys an’ a dory 
an’ a squeakin’ pup anywheres ? ” 


THE WONDEKFUL HAPPENS. 279 

Luff up there, Cap’n Codfish ! Look 

here ! Are these them ? ’’ 

The captain and crew were almost as 
much excited as the boys. What a wonder- 
ful meeting ! 

Oh, Phin, we 're safe ! ” called Non. 

Luff her up ! Bear away there ! Down 
with the helm ! Ease the main-sheet ! Haul 
in on the jib ! Throw out the anchor ! Why 
did n’t you hoist the absent flag ? Take us 
aboard ! ” 

Hal glibly gave these preposterous orders 
to show that he and his were at last one. 
Nothing more was needed to prove his 
identity. 

Phineas looked at the boys, and seemed 
to be dazed. He rubbed his hand over his 
forehead. Be I a-dreamin’ or a-dyin’ ? ” 
he said, too low for the boys to hear ; be 
them my boys ? ” 

Hal and Non could only see his lips 


move. 


280 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Hurry up, Phin ! Make the jib-sheets 
fast ! ” called Hal, impatiently and im- 
portantly. 

I guess that ’s you. Now I kin face 
your father ! ” Phin Scrod trembled from his 
shaggy head to his great boots. His mate, 
Black Tarr, the Grand Banker from Marble- 
head, had to come and take the wheel from 
him. 

He 's nigh tuckered out. Don’t mind 
him,” said Black Tarr, apologetically, you 
see we ’d given ye up ! ” 

But how in the w^orld did you get here ? ” 
demanded Hal, half an hour after. The 
mackerel-schooner was now bowling along 
toward Gloucester under full sail. The boys 
and Trot were snuggling together on the 
deck of the Kittiewink,” leaning against 
the boom of their own main-sail, the happiest 
creatures afloat on the Atlantic. 

Phineas Scrod looked Hal solemnly in the 





I 


< 


I 

i 


i 

« 

1 


SCROD SHOWS HIS ORDERS — PaGE 281 , 



THE WONDERFUL HAPPENS. 281 

eye. I don’t think he meant to hurt 
me/’ said the skipper, slowly, but he did. 
Them ’s the orders on which the ^Kittie- 
wink ’ set out to s’arch fur two lost boys on 
the Atlantic ocean.” 

Phineas handed to Hal a soiled and crum- 
pled telegram, dated on the day after the 
disaster : — 

To Phineas Scrod, yacht Kittiewink, Marble- 
head^ Mass. 

On receipt of this, start to sea. Search for 
boys. I have lost faith in you. 

H. Maynot. 

But he come himself,’^ added Phineas ; 

that was the worst ov ’t. And she come. 
I had to face ’em both. He chartered a 
steam-tug an’ put to sea to hunt ye up of 
his own account. Go Gresham went along 
of him, to help look for ye. He got ahead 
of me. He^s in Portland, nigh as I can 
reckon. But she took to the Atlantic 
coast.” 


282 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

What ? ” cried Hal. My mother took 
to — what V* 

The Atlantic coast/’ replied Phineas, 
without a smile. She ’s just s’ archin’ the 
coast of New England, that woman is. But 
she ’s ashore. She ’s a-settin’ on rocks an’ 
look’n out to sea for ye. Ye may pick her 
up anywheres/’ said Phin, soberly. I ’m 
sure I dunno whar she is now.” 


PHINEAS AND THE CAPTAIN. 283 


CHAPTER XV. 

PHINEAS AND THE CAPTAIN. 

Imagine a tidal river, thirty feet wide at 
its mouth, emptying into the Atlantic ; im- 
agine this river almost shallow enough at 
its outlet at low tide to swamp a rowboat, 
and deep enough when the tide is full to 
float a three-master ; imagine the waters 
rushing one way or the other at a whirlpool 
rate at the mouth of this river, as the tide 
comes or goes. It has often taken a sail-boat 
in a fair wind two hours to run fifty feet in 
the face of this tide. Imagine a long stone 
pier reaching out into the tumultuous ocean, 
and beside it a tide-rip with white breakers 
gleaming like tigers’ teeth. In stormy 
weather these are impassable by one who 
does not ride them at the right moment, or 


284 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

who is ignorant of the channel. Here, too, 
are foam-tossed ledges, some of’ them above 
the high-water mark, some below ; some 
marked by a black buoy, some not marked 
at all ; but all dreaded alike by the mariner. 
Add to all this an easterly wind and an 
angry sea, and you have Pennylunkport 
Harbor as it was on the morning that Phin 
Scrod found his lost captain and his mate 
Non. 

The Kittiewink ” was off Cape Porpoise, 
scudding before the wind, trying with all 
her might to make shore somewhere, in 
some way, and more quickly than she had 
ever done before. 

’T aint no use to make for anywhere 
but Pennylunk. ^ The tide’s a-goin’. We 
can fetch Penny lunk, an’ jog a bit until 
it comes, an’ run in an’ telegraph to yer 
folks.” 

So said Phineas, hopefully. He was quite 
as impatient to land as the boys were. He 


PHINEAS AND THE CAPTAIN. 285 

look in the lay of the wind, and at the same 
time gave what might be called an hysterical 
laugh. He was almost beside himself for 
joy. Non was not so exuberant, for he was 
still sea-sick ; but Hal performed what he 
thought was a sailor’s hornpipe upon the 
cock-pit floor, and immediately asked to take 
the wheel. 

Not yet, sonny,” answered the cautious 
sailing-master. This is a purty stiff bit o’ 
wind, and Pennylunk is a harbor to steer 
clear on, unless you ’ve been there, as I ’ve 
been with many a bar’l of herrin’.” 

But how soon can we send off the 
telegram ? ” 

Hal’s anxiety to relieve his mother's dis- 
tress had begun to take definite and urgent 
shapes. Love, after all, descends rather 
than ascends, and thoughtfulness is not ex- 
pected of a lad who is wild for adventures. 
Hal was a considerate hoy, but the continual 
round of excitement had, for a time, taken 


286 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

his mind off Sweet Fern and the dear ones 
there. 

But while his parents had been worry- 
ing, Hal had been growing much better in 
health. Doctor Plaster was right. The 
change worked wonders in the few weeks. 
One way to get well is not to talk about the 
disease. This Hal could not do on board 
the boat, nor would the rest of his party 
endure it. A better way is to forget the dis- 
ease entirely. Self-consciousness in sickness 
is often worse than the illness itself. For- 
get Hal did ; and although he was not yet 
strong, he was now likely to become so. 
The yachting season had only begun. What 
would it not do for him by the end of the 
summer ? 

But a new thought had troubled his 
mind ; it had even suggested itself to the 
skipper. Non, too, had secretly shared it, 
and without regret. After all that had hap- 
pened, would Mrs. Maynot allow Hal to set 


PHINEAS AND THE CAPTAIN. 287 

foot on the Kittiewink ” again, if he once 
safely got ashore ? One could not blame 
the poor woman if she did take the firm 
stand and say, My husband, it must be as 
T wish ! ’’ 

Hal thought of this possibility sadly. 
This might be his last sail. He made up 
his mind to enjoy it to the fullest extent 
while it lasted. 

The Kittiewink ’’ had now skirted the 
shore until the long pier at Pennylunkport 
was well in sight. The summer cottages 
and hotels were so near that people walking 
on the shore could be seen, and women dis- 
tinguished from men. A high sea was run- 
ning. The waves curled and snapped at the 
bar of the river. When the tide is low, as 
it was at the moment when the Kittie- 
wink” approached it, the water breaks with 
a roar along the whole outlet which goes by 
the name of a harbor. The rocks stood out 
in bare relief oft the shore, and the white- 


288 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


caps played like fairy feathers with the 
dark green reefs. 

In windy weather the summer visitors 
like to walk the length of their pier. Some 
fish for dinners at its end in the deep rock 
bottom, but even that sport gives way to 
interest, and often to anxiety, when a 
strange sail makes for the narrow channel 
under the stone breastwork. Many a na- 
tive fisherman, with frantic gestures, warns 
the stranger who attempts the impossible 
entrance at low tide. One such mariner 
was greatly relieved when the Kittie- 
wink presently stood off from the harbor 
and began to jog ; that is, carried her 
jib to windward and her helm up. 

Why don’t you run right in ? ” asked 
Hal, impatiently. ^^We can’t wait here. 
I must telegraph right away.” 

We’ve got to jog about here a couple 
of hours, until the tide ’ll serve us. There 
aint five feet of water there now,” said 
Phineas, serenely. 


PHINEAS AND THE CAPTAIN. 289 

He resolutely kept the Kittle wink on 
her course until she came to breakers ahead, 
and then brought her about to jog on the 
other tack. Hal stood beside him, and im- 
patiently made fast the jib-sheets at the 
skipper’s orders. The boy was nervous and 
irritable. His wonderful escape had not so 
much sobered as exhausted him. Though 
he had gained so much in bodily health, his 
nerves had undergone a long strain. This 
condition took its lowest form on this occa- 
sion, and made him unreasonable, ungrate- 
ful, and fretful at the very moment when he 
might have been expected to be humble, 
gentle, and patient. It occurred to him 
suddenly that where he ought to command 
he was made to obey. He felt what he con- 
sidered the indignity of his position. The 
title of Captain,” so dear to him, was an 
open mockery. As he became more conscious 
of his nautical ignorance, he felt angry that 
Phin, uneducated Phin, Phin the gardener, 

19 


290 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

whom his father could buy out a hundred 
times, and who had always treated him so 
respectfully at home, — that Phineas Scrod 
should lord it over him in this peremptory 
way just because they were in a boat, — and 
his boat, too ! A desperate idea took pos- 
session of HaPs brain. Phineas and he were 
alone on* deck. Black Tarr, Non, and Trot 
were below, preparing dinner. 

Say, Phin,” said Hal, in his sweetest 
tones, let me take the wheel while you go 
down and hurry up dinner.” 

But the Kittiewink ” was in a danger- 
ous position. On the one side were the 
shore and the impassable channel; on the 
other, reefs over w’hich the choppy sea was 
continually breaking. Phin had made up 
his mind not to risk the boys’ lives again. 
So he answered firmly, — 

^^No, Hal. You can’t take the wheel 
now. Wait till she ’s safe in at the wharf. 
Then ye can play with it.” 


PHINEAS AND THE CAPTAIN. 291 

It was not easy jogging, for the wind blew 
almost as heavily as it did on the day of 
the race. It was increasing with the tide. 
Phin Scrod was exercising his best caution 
and seamanship ; but if the wind were ris- 
ing, Hal’s temper had done more, — it had 
risen. 

Look here, Phin I ” Hal spoke hotly. 

Whose boat is this ? ” 

Phin turned quizzically. He had not found 
it an easy task to manage the boys and 
the boat too. He allowed some time to pass 
before he ventured an answer to this easy 
question. Hal watched him sullenly, and 
broke out again, — 

But I want to get in ! I want to tele- 
grapn Mother right away! Do you hear? 
Right away ! ” 

In the boy’s mind his design seemed praise- 
worthy, and his mutiny appeared to him to 
be filial devotion. The delusion was very 
subtle, and mirages of conscience like it are 


292 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

very common. Hal steadied himself by the 
companion-way. False pride and duty, law- 
lessness and obedience, were confounded in 
his heart. 

'' But it ’s niij boat, not his ! ” kept run- 
ning through his mind. ^‘I'm captain; I 
will do as I please ! He ’s keeping Mother 
in agony.” 

He began to disregard the tide, the harbor, 
and the wind. He had now lashed himself 
blindly to the point of believing that Phin 
was simply delaying the boat in order to 
exercise his authority. Should his father’s 
gardener treat him like a baby ? Such pre- 
posterous questions as this flitted through 
the black grotto of his boyish mind, like bats 
through a dark cave. 

The sailing-master answered the lad’s first 
question, slowly, — 

‘^^It aint your boat. It’s your dad’s, an’ 
he put me here as skipper to look arter it 
an’ you ; an’ I ’ll do it, even if I have to go 


PHINEAS AND THE CAPTAIN. 293 

to Davy Jones’s locker for it. I Ve got into 
one scrape ; ye don’t ketch me in another.” 

This reasonable reply stung Hal. We ’ll 
see if it is n’t my boat ! ” he shouted. 

Hal sprang to the wheel, with a quick 
motion wrenched it from the unprepared 
skipper, and with one turn spun the Kittie- 
wink ” around. 

Phineas Scrod, with a mighty oath, the 
first he had ever uttered in the presence of 
his employer’s son, jumped for the wheel 
and the jib-sheet in one bound. But it was 
too late. A side flaw caught the long boom, 
and swung the main-sail from one side of the 
boat to the other. A high wave swung the 
'' Kittiewink ” away from the wind. Then 
the gale caught the long boom again. In 
nautical terms, the sail jibed,” and did so 
with a shock that shook the whole boat. 
There was a crash, and a sound of splinter- 
ino- wood. The main boom broke in two in 
the middle. In an instant the gaff above, 


294 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


unable to stand the strain upon it, snapped. 
The main-sail slapped here and there in the 
gale, an utter wreck. 

Hal was aghast at the result of his mad 
impulse. No worse accident could have 
happened to the Kittiewink.” Phineas 
said not a word. He made a dash at the 
anchor to let it out. As he sprang forward, 
the irresponsible main-sail thrust upon him 
like an enemy, and the broken boom felled 
him to the deck. 

By this time the two below had rushed 
above. The little dog came barking after 
them. The splintered boom tore here and 
there, and threatened to knock every occu- 
pant of the disabled boat overboard. The 
skipper’s order came distinctly above the 
dreadful confusion, — 

Pay out that road for your life ! ” 

By this time Black Tarr was working 
forward of the mast. The bow of the 
Kittiewink ” heaved up and down like a 


PHINEAS AND THE CAPTAIN. 295 

prancing broncho. At every dip, Scrod 
was half-buried in the waves, and his mate 
was drenched in the spray. Hal and Non 
crouched in the cock-pit in shivering terror. 
They did not know what to expect. 

Does she hold ? ” yelled Scrod to his 
mate, indicating the anchor. 

“ Ay ! Ay ! ” 

There was a sudden wrench, as if some 
huge monster had grasped the Kittiewink” 
from beneath ; then a trembling and an 
upward leap. 

The Lord save us ! ” cried Scrod ; she ’s 
snapped like a pipe-stem. Down with that 
helium thar ! ” 

Neither of the boys had the strength to 
obey. Hal stared at the scene vacantly. 
Non could only grasp the spokes for sup- 
port. Black Tarr made a leap for the 
cock-pit. The slatting boom struck him 
down. He rolled over, and fell heavily into 
the cock-pit. It occurred to Hal, in a vague 


296 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

way, that the man was dead; but Tarr 
shook himself like a water-spaniel, grasped 
the wheel, and hauled in on the fluttering 
jib-sheet. Scrod now let the throat and 
peak halyards go as best he could. The 
main-sail fell reluctantly. Before them 
were the reefs. If they could gather head- 
way with the jib, and escape these, they 
might beach the boat on the sandy shore. 
The Kittiewink,” as if ashamed of her 
previous performance, now answered nobly 
to her rudder. 

Phineas Scrod had managed to get safely 
to the stern. He had made the main-sheet 
fast, so that the boom at that end could not 
knock about. He now busied himself with 
untying the painter that held the dory. He 
had not yet spoken to the boys. But there 
was an angry look, more terrible than scold- 
ing, about his mouth. The Kittiewink ’’ 
now bade fair to make the course of the 
river. If there were only water enough. 


PHINEAS AND THE CAPTAIN. 297 

and she could weather the tide-rip^ she 
might perhaps be saved. 

Crowds by this time surged on the shore. 
Hal gazed stupidly at the land, coming rap- 
idly nearer, and then at Phin’s mate at the 
wheel. He saw that the boat was stagger- 
ing towards the sandy side of the river’s 
mouth opposite the pier. He felt as if he 
were watching a panorama in the Town Hall 
at Sweet Fern. He heard T^rot whine, with 
a dull idea that it would interrupt the per- 
formance. Nevertheless, he expected to be 
drowned. He felt that it would be the right- 
eous consequence of his crazy deed. The 
events of the summer’s yachting danced be- 
fore his eyes in startling vividness. What a 
failure it had all been ! The thought of his 
parents’ suffering filled his head. Then, 
there was his friend. If they were lost, 
Non’s death would be upon his head. The 
burden was more than he could bear. Me- 
chanically he pushed Trot away from him, 


298 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

and the dog fell yelping into the flooded 
cock-pit. Non stooped and picked him up, 
and both looked at Hal reproachfully. Hal 
staggered to his feet. He had but one im- 
pulse, — to throw himself overboard. Per- 
haps, in some strange way, his life might 
expiate his fault, — might save the rest. 

Phin was watching their course steadily. 
It was exceedingly doubtful if a thirteen-foot 
dory could stand the tide-rip. He was seek- 
ing to decide — and the decision must be 
made instantly — whether to stick to the 
boat, and trust it to be cast high on shore, 
with a chance of rescue by the people on the 
beach, or forsake the Kittiewink ” at the 
last moment, and make for the mouth of 
the river in the dory, trusting to Heaven to 
take them safely through the breakers at 
the bar. Scrod misunderstood Hal's move- 
ment. He thought the boy meant to get into 
the dory. 

don’t know but you’re right this time,” 


PHINEAS AND THE CAPTAIN. 


299 


he shouted. Ketch hold o’ this painter 
while I get ’em in ! Look sharp ! ” 

Hal obeyed promptly. A new idea shot 
through his head, as desperate as those 
which had gone before it. He would help 
them all in, then shove off the dory and 
perish with the ship. That was a fit sacri- 
fice ! In his excitement, he remembered that 
all captains do that. Hal was almost elated 
at the thought of enacting this tragedy ; 
and the worst of the matter was that the 
delirious boy was very much in earnest. 
He had made up his mind to inflict his own 
sentence for his rashness, and serve it out. 
He was the sheriff and the prisoner, the 
judge and the victim. What heroic fools 
boys can be when they are hard put to it ! 
His heart grew big at this plan. He felt 
that the country would applaud his thrilling 
heroism, and that his parents would be quite 
reconciled to so glorious a death. 

There was no time to be lost. The 


300 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Kittiewink was already dangerously near 
the shore. Non threw Trot into the dory, 
and followed as best he could. Phin’s mate 
got in, and grasped the oars, to be ready 
when they shoved off. 

Jump in ! ” yelled Scrod to Hal, who 
was holding the dory’s bow, so that it 
should not be shattered by the Kittie- 
wink.” 

You first ; I ’ll sit in the bow ! ” 

There was something in Hal’s wild eyes 
that Phineas did not trust. 

Hurry up there ! Haint you done enough 
for one day ? Git in, or I ’ll heave you 1 ” 
Phin took Hal firmly by the arm. At the 
touch Hal sprang back. 

Let me alone ! I ’ll stay here to the 
death! ” 

There was almost no time at all. The 
roar of the breakers was upon them. If the 
little dory should be caught in these, who 
could escape ? With a hot cry, and hotter 


PHINEAS AND THE CAPTAIN. 301 

words, Phin grasped his captain. All the 
suppleness, agility, and strength of the old 
fisherman’s youth returned at this supreme 
moment. He twined his arms about the 
slender lad, lifted him, in spite of the un- 
steady rocking of the boat, and threw him 
into the dory. 

Hal fell upon a thwart that gave way op- 
portunely, and sank between Non and the 
sailor at the bottom of the boat, in what, 
under less sober circumstances, would have 
been a ridiculous collapse. He had also 
fallen upon Trot, who howled at the top of 
his lungs with fright and pain. 

In the confusion of this scene Phineas 
had forgotten that Hal held the painter that 
bound the dory to the Kittiewink.” It 
was too late for the gallant skipper to 
follow. The dory, impelled by the shock 
and a wave, was too far for a leap. 

The opportunity of rescue had passed 
for Phineas Scrod. 


302 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Keep off ! '' he cried. Keep off for 
your lives ! 

His old dory mate saw that it was useless 
to try to save the skipper. All he could 
do was to back water with all his might. 
There was a crunching and grating, a cry of 
horror from the shore, a splash of waters, 
and the Kittiewink,” with Phineas on 
board, was rolled over by the breakers and 
hidden by a cloud of impenetrable spray. 


WRECK AND RESCUE. 


303 


CHAPTER XVI. 

WRECK AND RESCUE. 

Steady there ! She ’s cornin’ ! ” 

This exclamation from Black Tarr, who 
stood stolidly in the dory, brought Non to 
his senses. 

Indeed, there was the greatest need of 
steadiness. Hal looked up from the bottom 
of the dory, but as he did so, the end of a 
curling wave from the chop sea struck him 
full in the face, and for the moment blinded 
him. The elements seemed to be con- 
spiring to the bitter end against the captain 
of the Kittiewink.’* 

The dory was now in the middle of the 
seething waves. Could it pass the white 
line of breakers at the bar, or not ? The 
man at the oars kept the boat in its position 


304 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

as firmly as he could hold it. He knew well 
that every third wave was the one to be 
dreaded. He was measuring the billows and 
awaiting his opportunity. 

Bail her out, quick ! he shouted to Hal, 
who was still crumpled up like a sheet of 
paper in the bottom of the dory, and thor- 
oughly demoralized. 

Black Tarr thrust his oilskin hat into HaVs 
hands. Hal took the sou’wester, and he 
was not long in finding out what to do. 
The sea was swashing from side to side in 
the gallant dory, and Hal swashed with it. 
He bailed with all his might with the 
sou’wester. 

Now hold to her ! Don’t let go ! Ugh! ” 
There was a roar, a mass of white-green 
foam, a dead weight, a staggering, a manful 
pull, and the deed was done ; but with what 
slight margin ! Beyond was still water, 
and willing hands dragged the half-swamped 
but victorious dory to the firm land. A 


WRECK AND RESCUE. 


305 


wave had almost filled her. Hal was struck 
down for the third time by its force'. He 
thought all was over then, and blindly 
clung to the seat. Non had shut his eyes. 
He, too, expected to die. The three were 
pulled ashore with joyful cries. Trot got 
out, no one knew how ; but there might well 
have been a lurking suspicion in his mind 
that no one thought of him in that crisis. 

Hal staggered up the beach a few steps, 
and then fell exhausted. His legs could not 
carry him. But Black Tarr shook himself 
like a Newfoundland, and rushed along the 
shore toward the Kittiewink.” Hal seemed * 
at first to be seriously hurt. Ladies bent 
over him as he was borne up upon the high, 
dry sand, and Non walked trembling by his 
side. Trot followed, shivering and silent. 

But how fared it with Phineas Scrod ? 
Phineas was a man of quick expedients, and 

when he saw that his own shipwreck was 
20 


306 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

inevitable, he plunged into the cabin to 
reach for something heavy. He knew that 
if, in a lull, he could get a line to the shore, 
before the crushing waves exhausted him, 
he might be saved. Groping about, his 
fingers closed upon the soapstone with the 
iron handle, which Mrs. Maynot had insisted 
that Hal should take to keep him warm at 
night. There was no time for a choice. 
Like a cat Phin was on deck, and had time 
to cling to the mast with both arms before 
the onslaught of waters struck the Kittie- 
wink.’’ The wave enveloped the doomed 
•boat, turning her over on her side. Phineas 
for the moment was completely submerged. 
What muscle and courage he needed to clasp 
the mast, as the terrible wave fell back ! 
The waterfall of pebbles on the beach re- 
sounded in his ears. He clung to the mast 
like a barnacle. Half entangled in the 
rigging, he had not a fair chance to jump. 
Besides, the water was too deep, the rush of 


WRECK AND RESCUE. 


307 


the returning wave too quick^ the undertow 
too deadly. Again the surge of the breakers 
overwhelmed him. A few more such onsets, 
and even tough old Phineas Scrod must 
yield. 

Phin thought that he must go now. He 
wished it had been on the Susan Jinks,” 
and not here. But he was not ashamed of 
his fate. Anyhow,” he muttered to him- 
self, I found my boys.” The receding mass 
of waters almost tore him away from the 
mast ; but, with a coolness worthy of high 
admiration, Phin, even while under the 
wave, and maintaining his grip, tied the^ 
long end of the jib-halyards to the handle of 
the soapstone. When the sea left him for 
the space of a few seconds, the brave fellow 
landed the precious stone on shore with a 
mighty throw. Some one grasped it. Again 
came the shock of the sea. For the third 
time he was overwhelmed : the fury of the 
rising tide was added to the torrents. This 


308 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

onslaught drove the Kittiewink higher 
on the beach ; at the same time it nearly- 
stripped her. The tremendous wave re- 
ceded, the white surf fell back and gathered 
itself anew with gnashing teeth. Had it 
accomplished its awful purpose ? 

Slowly Scrod emerged. He was badly 
bruised ; but the saving rope was taut, held 
at one end by straining arms on the beach, 
at the other by the pin at the saddle of the 
mast. Phineas, with a prayer that bears no 
earthly record, scrambled out. It was a 
desperate risk. The ^‘Kittiewink,” creak- 
ing and groaning, was left alone to its 
doom. 

Phineas hung upon the quivering rope. 
He had only a few feet to swing himself 
along ; but the weight of the waters had 
been almost more than he could bear. He 
was a resolved but exhausted man. The 
roll of the returning surf, the boiling of the 
sea at his waist, the murmuring sands, the 






Phin loses the Rope. — Page 309 . 





WEECK AND RESCUE. 


309 


cry of the horror-stricken people almost 
within ' reach, stunned the old sailor as he 
braved his fate. There was a surge and a 
rush, a singing as of distant music in his 
ears, and Phineas was twisted from the rope 
and sucked into the seething water. 

Seize him ! Grab him ! ” shrieked a 
terrible voice. 

A wild man flung himself into the white 
foam. He grappled with it, and grasped a 
dark object mightily. Was it a senseless 
wreck or a breathing man ? From the 
shore it was impossible to tell. Then the 
fisherman was seen to turn a white, stream- 
ing face to the land. A line of strong men 
had already been formed. There was a 
desperate and magnificent pull. Then the 
waters, as if rebuked by a Divine hand, fell 
back. 

Thus was Phineas Scrod saved by his 
mate ! 

When the half-drowned and unconscious 


310 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

man was carried upon the shore and laid 
down, some of the bystanders wished to roll 
him over a barrel, and some to stand him on 
his head, while one scientific summer boarder 
whipped out a Guide for all Emergencies,” 
and opening at the wrong page, wildly pre- 
scribed chalk and milk for the sake of pre- 
cipitating the salt water, and thereby saving 
him from the convulsions of poisoning. 

It was reserved for Trot to be equal to 
the occasion. With anxious whines he 
forced his way through the crowd and 
cuddled at the limp man’s face, licking eyes 
and ears and mouth with a warm tongue 
and piteous cries. This method of treatment 
for drowning, not prescribed in any medical 
treatise, caused Phin to open his eyes with 
a low groan. Trot, encouraged by success, 
redoubled his attentions, snapping spitefully 
at any interference. 

Scrod, after a few minutes of hazy remem- 
brance, rose on his right elbow. He cast an 


WKECK AND RESCUE. 


311 


intelligent look about him and recognized 
the dog. His first words were, — 

Where 's your master ? ” Then he asked, 
Are them boys safe ? Save them boys ! ” 
The crowd were . deeply touched. Some 
one’s voice was heard in a half sob. The 
people parted, and a tall boy tottered before 
the prostrate sailor and fell upon his knees 
in the sand. 

0 Phin ! ” cried Hal, with streaming 
eyes, dear Phin ! Thank God you ’re 
saved ! Forgive me, Phin ! I ’ll never do 
so any more. I ’ll never be captain in all 
my life again ! ” 

Phin looked at his employer’s son, and 
held out his hand. What could he say? 
What had he to say? With his hand he 
gave his heart again, and if need had been, 
his life. 

Seeing Non looking scared in the crowd, 
Phineas beckoned to him. It seemed to the 
bystanders like a sacred family meeting. 


312 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

Black Tarr, with an ingrained sense of 
delicacy, had stepped back when Hal 
appeared. 

glad iny boys are safe. Now we 
can go home in peace. Whar ’s my mate ? ” 
asked Phineas. I know Ae ’s safe. Nothin’ 
can’t drownd him.” 

Here he is, — he saved you ! ” called out 
a voice from the crowd. 

The stolid old fisherman was shoved to 
the front, still dripping, and with sand cling- 
ing to his wet clothes. His head was bare. 
He had a look upon his face such as simple 
heroes wear. He was ashamed of his 
prominence. 

^^No, I didn’t,” he stammered; ^^that is 
— we all hauled you in ; but you saved your- 
self more ’n we saved ye. Can’t some un 
give ye a dry bit o’ clothes ? ” He looked 
around, and then lifted Phin carefully to 
his feet. 

This practical point relieved the strain. 


WRECK AND RESCUE. 


313 


The crowd closed upon them, and Phineas 
was carried off to one of the hotels in tri- 
umph. Hal followed with Trot a little way, 
and then turned back to the sea and the 
Kittiewink.’' He was now able to walk and 
think calmly. Many people were still watch- 
ing to see the surf pound the boat to pieces. 
The beach was beginning to be strewn with 
jetsam. 

Hal looked at the wreck with a feeling 
very much like glee. He was sorry that the 
boat was destroyed, but not that he had 
come to the end of his boating. His foot 
struck a hard substance. He stooped and 
picked up — his mother’s soapstone. The 
saving rope had been untied. Hal did not 
think it strange that the soapstone should 
loe there. He had come to feel no wonder 
at anything the sea might do. 

A small boy picked up a can of tomatoes 
cast up on the beach, and with great hon- 
esty brought it to Hal. 


314 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 


that yourn?” asked the small boy. 

^^Yes,” said Hal. He mechanically put 
the can under his arm. 

The tide had almost come, and with it a 
still higher wind and sea. As Hal watched, 
a wave taller than the rest struck the ill- 
fated sloop. There was a tearing of wood ; 
the mast was wrenched out of her body, and, 
entangled in sails and rigging, was carried 
on the crest of the breaker to the beach. The 
yacht yawned before him and drifted 'apart. 

At this sight Hal drew a deep breath, and 
turned his back forever on the Kittie- 
wink,” With his soapstone swaying in one 
hand, his can of tomatoes in the other, Trot 
rolling in the sand to dry himself, and the 
honest small boy behind, Hal followed the 
crowd as best he might. He now began to 
think of the telegram, and of his anxious 
mother. Somehow, he thought that his 
father could stand the uncertainty, but his 
mother — might she not die under the ner- 


WRECK AND RESCUE. 315 

vous strain? Hal ran on as fast as he 
could. 

A quarter of an hour afterward, when 
some one had kindly ferried the shipwrecked 
boy and the terrier over the river into the 
town, Hal walked up to the telegraph office, 
which was situated in a large white hotel. 
The men in the hall, who seemed to be star- 
ing in two ways, as if after two curiosities, 
withdrew their divided gaze and centred it 
upon our dilapidated hero. The operator 
seemed to expect him. He had just sent 
two surprising messages; but of these Hal 
knew nothing. The first of the two was 
written in a very scrawly hand with the 
usual atrocious telegraph-office pen, and was 
much blotted by the blue ink : — 

to mister Henry maynot. Steamtug Sculpin^ any- 
where on the new Englend cost, try Portland : 
i found um. we Go hum to-morrer in fust 
Trane. Kittiewink druv eshore. 


PHINEAS SCROD. 


316 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

^^But how can the Western Union deliver 
this message ? Is n’t its destination a little 
vague ? ” the operator had suggested, mildly. 
He was only too willing to do all he could 
for the interesting waifs. 

^^Thet’s the comp’ny’s business,” said 
Phineas, composedly. You send that off, 
young fellow, right away, and mark it paid. 
Here ’s two quarters, all I hev.” 

The operator started it off; and, stranger 
than all the strange events of that day, Mr. 
Maynot received the message before sundown 
in Portland Harbor, where the discouraged 

Sculpin ” had run in for the night. 

The next message was written in a pre- 
cise hand. 

To Br. Plaster^ Sweet Fern^ Mass : 

Don’t worry. Saved by Phiii and sailor. Phin 
saved by sailor and others. Kittiewink not saved 
at all. All well. 

Algernon. 

Hal took the pen with trembling fingers, 
and wrote nervously, — 


WRECK AND RESCUE. 


317 


To Mr. and Mrs. Maynot^ Sweet Fern^ Mass : 

Kittiewink gone to thunder. Phin is a brick. 
Telegraph money, shoes, and clothes immediately. 
We’re all busted. Tell Mother it’s all right. I’m 
coming right home for good. We’ll start by 
early morning train. I guess I ’m not fit to be 
captain of anything. The only thing saved is 
Trot and us and the soapstone. 

Very lovingly your son, 

Hal. 

This remarkable telegram was marked 

collect.” It was Hal’s first telegram, and 
he was not in a frame of mind' for counting 
words. 

Trot acted as if he wanted to send a 
message too ; but the operator could not 
translate the canine vocabulary into Morse’s 
alphabet. Perhaps he lacked a common-pup 
education. 

Now, while Hal was at the telegraph 
office, Non went to the desk and occupied 
himself with the liotel register. He turned 
the leaves with idle interest, then sud- 


318 THE CAPTAIN" OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

denly stopped. A low exclamation of de- 
light escaped the boy. His finger rested 
upon the name of Miss Louise. Concord. 

How long has Miss Concord been here? ” 
he demanded rapidly of the clerk. I ’d 
like to send my card to her — to her chap- 
erone, I mean/' he added, remembering that 
he was in a fashionable hotel. 

^^Went yesterday!” replied the clerk, 
promptly. 

^^Went?” 

Yes ; the young lady's party have 
gone.” 

Gone ! ” repeated Non, helplessly. 

They went on the afternoon train,” 
added the clerk, with a snap in his voice 
which seemed to say, Why should n't 
they ? ” 

Non felt that he was staring, not to say 
acting, like a fool ; and he turned away from 
the desk to hide his chagrin. Bad enough 
to be shipwrecked,” muttered the boy; <^but 


WRECK AND RESCUE. 


319 


not a girl aboard all summer, — that ’s a 
little too much ! ” 

That lovely girl had eluded him just 
so, during his short yachting experience, like 
a mermaid in a breaker. He did not tell 
Hal for some days ; he was too much disap- 
pointed to talk about it. 

About sunset that night Hal went out 
alone to the long pier. He had meant to 
take another look at the wreck. The even- 
ing train had brought many strange faces to 
the hotels and boarding-houses. Hal was 
diverted by the sight of the tourists, and for 
the moment forgot the errand on which he 
had come out. As he was looking about, 
his eye caught sight of a lonely figure 
sitting on the rocks, eagerly watching the 
ocean. Something about the lady seemed 
familiar to him. He approached her timidly. 
The woman’s travelling dress was dusty and 
disordered, and her face was haggard. Her 
eyes stared straight out upon the waters. 


820 THE CAPTAIN OF THE KITTIEWINK. 

It was his mother ; searching the Atlan- 
tic Ocean,” as Phineas had said. 

rial stood still. He was afraid to speak 
to her; but Trot, without any hesitation, 
bounded into her lap, and said enough for 
all three. 



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